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for example, we noticed how, despite some fantastic reading data headline figures following our introduction of Sparx Reader homework, the gap between the reading ages of PP and non-PP students had actually widened. We decided to trial twice-weekly opportunities to complete Sparx Reader homework during tutor time for 20 Y10 PP students, who had been struggling to engage with reading at home. The trial proved so successful that we opted to extend this to 60 further students in Y7-9. The new intervention has since provided many of our PP students with an additional hour of weekly literacy support (on top of DEAR) which, inmany cases, has been enough to see them catch up or even exceed the reading age of their non- Pupil Premium peers. We maintain a further feedback channel via our DEAR student committee, whichmeets termly. This provides students with a genuine opportunity to communicate which books are working for their tutor groups and which aren’t, which in turn informs our restocking choices. When the budget allows for the purchase of new titles, we will give our DEAR committee the opportunity to suggest books and have the final say on purchases. Inspired by Spotify Wrapped, we then distribute end-of-year feedback regarding those books that have been most enjoyed, and which tutor groups have read the most titles. We’ll also take this opportunity to issue some clear ‘ You said, we did ’ feedback in relation to actions we’ve taken over the past year to address DEAR issues raised by our students either formally through the committee, or informally via their tutors and individually- submitted feedback. Value formoney While it might not be possible to implement these strategies on the cheap, when looked at as a percentage of the whole school budget, our literacy work has delivered real value for money – not just in terms of exam results, but also in building student self-esteem and wellbeing. Every time a student in a reading support intervention moves their reading age up to ‘age expected’, we’ll conduct a brief ‘exit interview’ before releasing them back to standard DEAR time with their tutor. During this interview, we’ll ask if they have noticed any improvement in their learning across the school since they’ve been in reading support. The usual response tends to involve a raised eyebrow, followed by a quiet, yet emphatic ‘ YES! ’ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Andrea Miller is lead practitioner of English at Wey Valley Academy in Weymouth, part of the Authentic Education trust; for more information, visit weareauthentic. education WHATMAKES A GOOD ‘DEAR’ BOOK? Under our DEAR programme, students will typically read seven books annually. The questions we typically ask before ordering a new set of books include: Will this book be accessible to all students in the room? Is this book likely to engage our students? Does this book fit into our overall DEAR map to build a rounded picture of the world, with titles that reflect our students’ lives and culture, alongside titles that encourage them to look beyond their own community and experiences? Does this book encourage students to reflect on British Values? Does this book encourage students to empathise with, and build respect for others – including those with protected characteristics? Has this book been approved by our student DEAR committee? 29 teachwire.net/secondary L I T E R A C Y TEACH SECONDARY SPECIAL LITERACY