Hachette UK's school reading programme boosts children's reading skills and confidence

Hachette UK’s (HUK) Changing the Story Reading Programme with the National Literacy Trust has boosted children’s reading skills, enjoyment and confidence, with the percentage of participating pupils reading below the national average decreasing from 50.7% before taking part, to 27% after the programme.

The programme was created to tackle low levels of literacy and reading enjoyment among primary school children in 38 primary schools, with a focus on those eligible for free school meals. More than 26,000 Reading Planet scheme and Hachette Children’s Group books were donated to the participating schools, along with other resources.

HUK’s programme evaluation report analyses the data collected from Hodder Education’s—soon to be Hachette Learning—Progress in Reading Assessment (PiRA) tests, which benchmark performance and track progress against national averages in reading. The report combines this data with results from pre- and post-attitudinal surveys of pupils, and a post-programme survey of teachers.

The percentage of children reading above the national average increased six-fold, from 1.4% to 8.8%, while the number of pupils who rated themselves as "very good" readers almost doubled. Meanwhile, 43.3% of children said they enjoyed reading more after taking part in the project, and the percentage of children who said they enjoyed reading "very much" increased by 53%.

Moreover, the percentage of children who said they "didn’t enjoy reading at all" decreased from 10.6% to 0.7%.

Teachers also saw an improvement in their pupils’ reading abilities, with 85.5% of teachers reporting that children’s attitude towards reading improved, and almost all teachers (92.5%) finding that children showed greater "resilience" in their reading.

Data from teachers also suggested that the programme and its resources may have benefitted the schools more broadly, with 70.4% of teachers saying that their schools have "put more emphasis on developing higher-order reading skills" as a result.

"We have been delighted to work with Hodder Education on the Changing the Story programme across the past three years," said Martin Galway, head of school programmes at the National Literacy Trust. "Through high-quality training, a well-rounded approach to reading sessions and the use of their top-tier systematic phonics programme materials, we have seen consistent improvements in both reading skills and attitudes, and greater levels of reading engagement. As such, the programme’s design has helped to ensure a strong start in reading for many children who found the early reading journey especially challenging."

Seshni Jacobs, chief executive officer at Hodder Education, added: "This report affirms the transformative impact that Reading Planet is having on children’s reading skills and confidence. In just three years, we have seen remarkable progress, and these achievements speak directly to our mission of unlocking every learner’s unique potential through accessible and impactful teaching and learning solutions. Our goal is to ensure every child feels confident and excited to grow as a reader."

Read the full report here.