According to Teresa Cremin, reading for pleasure aficionado and Professor of Education (Literacy) at The Open University, one of the biggest challenges expressed by KS3 colleagues when developing reading for pleasure (RfP) is involving staff across different subject departments. Far too frequently the assumed responsibility for teenagers’ wider reading lies with the English department. 

But with tight timetables and a whole raft of other responsibilities, English departmental staff operating in isolation cannot build a community of engaged readers. Nor should they be expected to do so. As the DfE Reading Framework makes abundantly clear, ‘embedding a school culture that values and supports reading for pleasure is the collective responsibility of all staff’ (DfE, 2023, p.94). 

This requires a strategic approach. It’s not a box ticking exercise, a package, or merely the introduction of a ‘form time RfP intervention’. Drawing in the expertise of colleagues from other departments, alongside the librarian of course, is vital, but with their own specialist responsibilities, developing the staff team’s understanding of the power and potential of RfP is no easy task. Nor is it easy to develop research-informed practice across the school, especially without this becoming a set of low level activities which are never evaluated.

That’s why, on the OU KS3 Reading Schools Programme, the OU Team work to involve far more than the programme lead from the outset. The talented team Kelly Ashley, Rachel Ayres and Bennie Kara, enable implementation teams to be set up in school to build support from the inside out. They offer dedicated, online conferences in the autumn and spring for whole staff training, as well as dialogic sessions for senior leaders to ensure this agenda is prioritised.

In the recent pedagogy focused blended conferences, significant numbers of KS3 staff attended. Several schools involved all their KS3 staff and as one leader noted ‘ being part of the OU Reading Schools Programme, I have more of a mandate to push for changes in my school and to launch initiatives at whole school level’. 

Within the programme they have seen significant shifts as colleagues from different disciplines have got involved, become invested as reading role models and shared their reading lives and interests with the young people. They appreciate the evidence-informed approach and can see the difference that becoming involved as readers (not the PE lead, ECT in Maths or Asst. Head) is making. 

Variously, they’ve done so through e.g. book doors, adding books to emails, creating personal/subject specific displays, triggering book chat and establishing lunchtime clubs. 

If you would value bespoke support to involve all staff in enriching your KS3 reading culture, then do join Professor Cremin and Kelly Ashley on 11th February, 24th March or 29th April (4-5pm) to find out how the OU’s impactful programme can help you develop a strategic whole school approach. 

The OU Reading Schools Programme enables whole school development of RfP, building a rich reading culture and curricula in order to impact the life chances of all your children, but particularly the lowest attaining 20%. 

Join over 300 schools nationally who have benefitted from this year-long, evidence informed programme of strategic school development.  

Led by Professor Teresa Cremin and now in its eighth year, the highly successful Reading Schools Programme: Building a Culture of Reading is aligned to the National Curriculum, the Reading Framework (DfE, 2023), and the Education Endowment Foundation school improvement process. This blended programme enables sustained school development in Reading for Pleasure (RfP), combining research evidence, rigour and tailored support to impact on pupils’ reading attitudes and attainment.

Do you want to enrich your school’s reading culture? To impact on those disengaged and disadvantaged readers who are often hard to motivate? Global evidence indicates that children with the habit of reading benefit academically (e.g. higher attainment,  vocabulary, writing ) and have better wellbeing. So why not join Professor Teresa Cremin at a briefing (4-5pm) to find out how the OU’s Reading Schools Programme (2025-26)  can enable you to strategically build a vibrant and sustainable reading culture that impacts on ALL your learners. 

For more details visit the OU RfP website.