Theale Green School has been chosen as a ‘Star School’ by Lexia, a software company that aims to boost literacy progress in secondary students.
Lexia commended the school for its approach to boosting literacy using computer-based program ‘PowerUp’, which focuses on developing reading skills in word study, grammar and comprehension, and can adapt its instruction according to the needs of individual students.
Pupils are set a weekly goal of clocking between 75 and 135 minutes on the program, with the target decreasing over time as they make progress.
Rebecca Wilson is a higher-level mentor at the school and is responsible for running Lexia sessions.
“With the ‘Covid hangover’ we are experiencing, the number of students needing support with literacy has increased, with more students starting secondary school needing support with their phonics,” she says.
“The Lexia program can support our lowest-ability students as well as our higher-ability students, who perhaps needed a boost to their self-esteem and confidence. It can also support pupils who have difficulties engaging with their work, as opposed to those that have a big gap in knowledge, so it is something that works at both ends of the scale.”
Claire Lloyd (Assistant Head SENCO) has also noticed the benefits. “We are seeing improvements not just in literacy but with higher self-esteem of students,” she says. “They go into lessons feeling more positive, no longer seeing unfamiliar text as a barrier to their learning.”
Rebecca thinks the reason for success with Lexia has been the support shown by staff at all levels: “Everyone has been on board and working towards the same goal,” she says. “I also think it’s been a success because we have worked hard to integrate it into school life. It’s become part of the way we do things, not just an add-on. Teachers now know that if they have a student in their class who is struggling due to literacy skills, that we have something in place to support them. It’s very much a team effort.”
And what do the students think? One Year 7 student said they like Lexia because ‘I get to do something I actually enjoy. I like the videos, building up a high streak and the rewards’, while another said how much it’s ‘helping with my spellings’. And a Year 8 student said how much enjoy being able to understand it, saying ‘When I concentrate, it’s easy and fun’.
Parents are also supportive, with one saying: “My son came out of school buzzing. The unit is doing wonders with him and his confidence.”
For more information, visit www.thealegreen.w-berks.sch.uk.
