Schools Improvement Partnership Programme Closing the Gap A joint literacy intervention between Schools and Community Learning and Development

Alex Black (Quality Improvement Manager) Presenters Alex Black (Quality Improvement Manager) Frances Lawson Tennyson (ASL Advisor) Maureen Petrie (Acting Service Manager CLD)

Getting it Right

Concept An intensively researched transition programme that will increase the probability of children being able to access the secondary curriculum and achieve success Interventions at small group and individual level to boost value added in literacy attainment Action research and CPD to increase the capacity of staff, ensuring longer term sustainability of gains at school level Targeted and sensitive interventions to support family literacy, involving CLD workers and Family Support Workers

Falkirk’s SIMD Profile

Attainment and SIMD - 2013

Falkirk Profile (1)

Falkirk Profile (2)

Falkirk Profile (3)

Falkirk Profile (4)

Example of School Profile

Participating Schools Falkirk High School Langlees Primary Slamannan Primary Bantaskin Primary Grangemouth High School Beancross Primary Bowhouse Primary Moray Primary

Identification of a target group Identification of a control group Methodology Identification of a target group Identification of a control group Baseline assessments Longitudinal tracking P7-S2 Action research logs School and pupil profiles

Literacy Strategy 2014-17 ‘The strategy demands innovative approaches to partnership working. It invites services, agencies and families to raise the bar in terms of what all our children, young people and adults can achieve’. 4. Involve families Work with partners 6. Analyse data and act on findings 7. Deliver intelligence based professional learning experiences at school, cluster and authority levels 9. Design a robust evaluation process

Action research questions “In what ways do targeted reading interventions by school and community learning and development improve literacy levels of P7 pupils who are currently reading behind their chronological age?” “In what ways do joint interventions from Additional Support for Learning and Community Learning and Development improve access to the secondary curriculum for children reading behind their chronological age?”

High Five Intervention • To provide an opportunity for children to work at their own level on the text types used in whole class teaching • To introduce study skills through Reciprocal Reading techniques and discussion of text types • To develop independent reading and writing strategies • To encourage editing as a natural part of the writing process • To develop a range of strategies for learning words • To promote self-esteem through enjoyment and improvement

Clusters identified by SIMD CEM reading scores analysed Pupil selection Clusters identified by SIMD CEM reading scores analysed Core group of 21 children reading age 6 or 7 years Wider group of 17 children with reading scores between 4 to 8 years who will also access the CLD component Control group of 21 with similar reading ages and SIMD to our core group.

Control group - S2 cohort / 21 others Similar SIMD profile Comparative data Control group - S2 cohort / 21 others Similar SIMD profile Similar age group

Programme of training and networks The Education pathfinder will: Liaise with schools and CLD in order to devise school/community and pupil profiles and approaches Deliver High Five training Provide school support with launch, intervention and evidence gathering as appropriate Support peer observation arrangements Arrange and facilitate networking events

Reflective Journals CEM data Reading assessments Input record sheets Evidence Gathering Reflective Journals CEM data Reading assessments Input record sheets

Other upper primary pupils Looking to the future The project will lay the foundations of a sustainable model for targeted and holistic intervention in literacy In terms of ‘practice into policy’, the research will inform the new Falkirk Literacy Strategy Other upper primary pupils Wave 3 intervention at the primary 2 stage alongside a similar partnership with Community Learning and Development

Scottish Survey of Adult Literacies 2010 ADULT LITERACY Scottish Survey of Adult Literacies 2010 26.7% of adult population have occasional challenges in literacies and of this group 3.7% have serious challenges The lack of literacies skills in a community mirrors the level of poverty in a community Social practice model

Existing CLD provision Junior youth work Healthy eating initiatives Let’s Cook! Dynamic youth awards Senior phase Family literacy

Upper Primary/High Schools Strengthening the links Joint training Improving Practice Upper Primary/High Schools Strengthening the links Joint training Changing practice Work with parents