English
Making good progress
Study Plus and Literacy Plus are having a major impact in the English classroom
O
NE OF the National Strategies’ key aims So far, around 500 schools have used Study Plus to
is to increase the proportion of children raise attainment and the feedback from teachers and
who make good progress at school. pupils has been very positive.
Th e Study Plus approach was An evaluation of the Study Plus pilot showed that
introduced in 2006 to help achieve this and is already nearly a quarter of pilot pupils achieved fi ve GCSEs
having a strong impact on pupils who have not made at A* to C (including English and mathematics) in
suffi cient progress during their fi rst three years at 2008. Forty-two per cent of pupils targeted for English
secondary school. gained a grade C or better, while 39 per cent targeted
for mathematics achieved likewise – very positive
‘
It seemed to make a difference when outcomes for pupils who were predicted to achieve at
they were aiming towards completing
less than a grade C.
Th e Literacy Plus programme was launched in 2009
something in a couple of weeks. They
after schools that had been running Study Plus asked
particularly enjoyed being able to take the
for a key stage 3 version. More than 300 secondary
schools across the country are now using it.
skills they learned during these sessions
Literacy Plus is available for English only and is
aimed at pupils who are at Level 3 when they arrive at
and then apply them across the curriculum secondary school. Th ey have two Literacy Plus lessons
timetabled every week in year 7 – with the programme
As David White, senior advisor, aiming to enable them to achieve Level 4 by the end
English, for the National of year 7. Literacy Plus can also be used to give year 8
Strategies, explained:
’
pupils additional support.
“Study Plus is “Study Plus and Literacy Plus both need to be
designed for planned into the curriculum by senior managers,” said
pupils who by Mr White.
year 9, although they have potential, look “It’s very diffi cult for heads of English or
as if they are not going to get a good GCSE grade mathematics to organise this themselves because it
in English and/or mathematics. Th e programme needs to be put into the timetable and staff ed.
involves schools putting two Study Plus lessons into “I’m absolutely convinced, though, that where Study
the timetable for year 10 and year 11 pupils who don’t Plus and Literacy Plus are being used well, they make a
seem to be making the progress you’d expect. Th e idea very positive impact on pupils’ learning.”
is that the pupils will become more eff ective learners
and improve their chances of making two levels of
Further information:
progress and attaining good grades at GCSE.”
Study Plus: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies/
sup5/studyplus
Study Plus lessons are staff ed by a teacher and
a teaching assistant, which means that they can
Literacy Plus: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/
personalise the learning and tailor it to youngsters’
nationalstrategies/sup5/literacyplus
interests and abilities. Study Plus English, for
Additional resources include the Reading Challenge
instance, includes a unit of work called Trailers,
handbook, part of a scheme to help key stage 3 pupils
whose reading skills are two years below expectations:
where pupils produce fi lm trailers and write their
www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies/sup5/
own voice-overs. readingchallenge
Meanwhile, Study Plus Mathematics includes
The Writing Challenge handbook is part of a scheme
a unit entitled Disaster Relief, which involves
to help pupils whose writing skills are two years
students planning the relief aid for a fi ctitious
below expectations: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/
tsunami that has struck the coast of South America.
nationalstrategies/sup5/writingchallenge
SecEd
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