CPD on Supporting Struggling Readers in Secondary Schools

Reading is the essential foundation for success in all subjects, yet for a range of reasons, many children start Year 7 below the expected reading level. At secondary school, reading is crucial to access the whole curriculum, and children who are behind at the start of secondary school risk falling further behind by key stage 4. Secondary schools need to support children to catch up rapidly, including children who may have become disengaged, mask their reading difficulties, or struggle with very specific components of reading. However, secondary schools have less access to training in early reading compared to primary schools. We are looking for a provider to develop a continuous professional development (CPD) package for the secondary school workforce, to build secondary schools' capability to support struggling readers. The CPD should support schools to provide both a strong universal offer, where classroom teachers are confident supporting struggling readers, and a strong targeted offer for pupils who need additional reading support beyond the classroom. We are interested in a range of tools and resources that could support this aim and expect bidders to propose more than one strand of support. We are open to different approaches to delivering and disseminating training, but at least some elements of the offer must be available online beyond the funded period (for example a downloadable 'train the trainer' package, recorded webinars, or asynchronous training modules) and at least some elements must be delivered in person (for example delivering training as part of whole school training days, providing bespoke support to a group of schools, or running in person networking or collaboration sessions). The CPD must draw on wider DfE guidance and support, including the DfE Reading Framework (2023) and the CPD developed by Professor Jessie Ricketts, and on the evidence base for reading including from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF).