One in four Oxfordshire children unable to read adequately, says charity
ARCh Oxfordshire highlights literacy challenges faced by primary school pupils
One in four children in Oxfordshire leave primary school without an adequate level of reading, according to Jane Rendle, joint CEO of local charity Assisted Reading for Children (ARCh).
Jane explained how these literacy challenges are particularly pronounced among children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
“There’s huge disparity in Oxfordshire,” Jane said. "We’ve got Oxford University on one side of the city, but we’ve got pockets of high-level deprivation in other parts of the city and we know that so many children are leaving primary school in our county with an inadequate level of reading.
"Then our secondary schools are telling us that those children can't access the curriculum, so that really is limiting their life chances.”
She added that in some areas, it can be even more than one in four.
The literacy issue has been compounded by disruptions caused by the pandemic, according to Jane.
"All our children in our primary schools now have been affected in some way. That might have been missed schooling or missed early social opportunities as babies and toddlers - so not only has reading perhaps suffered, but also communication, "she said.
Jane added that each child has different reading needs and the traditional approach does not work for everyone.
She said: “Phonics is the way that children are taught to read in our primary schools, and we know that it works for most children, but for some children, particularly those children who perhaps don’t have support at home, are reluctant readers or lack confidence, I think the phonics approach can feel like hard work."
Jane advocates for finding ways to engage every child, such as providing options that align with their interests and allowing them to see reading as enjoyable rather than tiring schoolwork.
"I think what's particularly essential for children is to find out what they're interested in, introducing them to lots of different reading materials, different types of books not just stories, but, non-fiction poetry, short pieces" she said.
"Also sharing the reading with children and chatting about what you're reading, which is what our volunteers at ARCh do."
ARCh has been running for nearly 18 years and works in around 100 primary schools across Oxfordshire.
While volunteers support around 800 children every year, Jane says there are many more pupils in need of help.