'Pupil Book Study: Reading' provides evidence-led structures to shine a light on the true impact of a school's reading provision. Building on the global success of the original Pupil Book Study frameworks, this guide translates these principles into practice to support leaders and teachers to evaluate their reading curriculum. The catch-all term 'reading' covers a wide-spanning aspect of schools' provision, which is acknowledged to be central to pupils' long-term success and well-being. It is vital that we have robust and meaningful mechanisms in schools to help us understand which aspects of this are working well and what might need further development. This requires us to examine each aspect of our reading provision in turn, through a lens which acknowledges the disciplinary differences between how we might approach teaching different elements of the reading curriculum. 'Pupil Book Study: Reading' provides the tools and structures to achieve this. Coherent approaches and tried and tested structures for talking to pupils about their reading help teachers and leaders to avoid assumptions and get under the skin of their reading provision. Headteachers and senior leaders who have undertaken 'Pupil Book Study: Reading' report that it has lifted the veil on their reading provision, allowing them to see, with clarity, how to refine and develop their offer.
Working across the field of education as a teacher, school leader and, for the last five years, Lauren Meadows, Director of Greenfields Education, works with schools, multi-academy trusts and wider research organisations to support them in improving outcomes for young people. Lauren has worked with a wide range of national organisations, advising on curriculum and assessment design and strategic school improvement, including partnering with Alex Bedford to co-author the internationally acclaimed Curriculum for Unity Schools Partnership. She believes whole-heartedly in the power of education to shape young lives and is committed to effecting systems-level change through carefully designed and evidence-led support for schools. You may be surprised to learn that Alex did not engage well at school and was in the 'D stream' throughout his school career. His parents were told not to 'waste' tutoring money on him. Luckily, the Youth Training Scheme, employment and further education led Alex to eventually train as a primary school teacher. Now, with 25+ years of experience in education, as a teacher, headteacher and leading adviser for school improvement, Alex is proud to be the Primary Adviser for Unity Schools Partnership and Research School. Working with teachers in classrooms, Alex implements evidence-informed practice. He is the creator and author of CUSP and has worked as an associate consultant for the Institute of Education, UCL. His rule for school is simple: teach with excellence and never write anyone off. The husband to Becky (a phenomenal reception teacher) and proud father of Jack and Finn; adventure calls to Alex and he is regularly drawn to the sea and mountains.
