Trinity Academy St Edward's

It’s been quite a year for Trinity Academy St Edward’s. Not only is the school enjoying a fabulous new setting in Barnsley, South Yorkshire this Autumn term, but it’s also continuing to celebrate a ‘full house’ of ‘outstanding’ grades in its pre summer Ofsted report.

Nikki Waite is the school’s Assistant Principal – Teaching and Learning. She invited us to catch up with her about how she’s found working with Lexonik.

What a way to start your academic year Nikki – a new free school in Barnsley, and on the back of some incredible Ofsted scores. It must be a great feeling?

Thank you. Yes, it’s been a terrific time for the school’s record, and I’m really excited for the student community as we head into this new academic year.

Tell us a little about the school itself, and its legacy on reading and literacy:

TASE is a brand new free school serving years 7 to 10.

Typically, the number of students who join us in Year 7, for whom their reading age does not match their chronological age, is growing.

At TASE, we put literacy at the heart of our pedagogy and all staff train students to read, speak and write like an expert in their subject disciplines.

Given the reading age issue, is that how you came to learn more about Lexonik and to seek out an intervention?

Actually, I’m fortunate to say that this is the third school into which I’ve introduced Lexonik!

I had heard about it from a colleague in a previous school and as an English teacher having had the training, she told me the intervention ‘changed the way [she] teaches’.

That fascinated me and I was incredibly curious to know more about it.

I’ve since recommended it to colleagues at Brinsworth, Astrea Netherwood Academy and Astrea Academy Dearne.

Wow. That’s terrific. It’s wonderful for us to hear that our programmes speak for themselves and that educators like you want to recommend us.

Interventions can be tricky to select if you’ve not tested them and haven’t anything to compare to, so I’m happy to tell people what I think about Lexonik.

What was it you were seeing at your latest school, which prompted you to bring an intervention into play?

The growing numbers of students entering Year 7 with low reading ages below 9:06 and having reading ages that do not equate to chronological reading ages.

This will undoubtedly be true this year with the current Year 7 having been taught phonics during the pandemic.

Having had the Lexonik training at a previous school, what was it which stuck with you and made you want to bring it to TASE too?

I knew the potential it had to close reading gaps for students. The results were – and are now – fantastic.

How did implementation take place?

Firstly, English teachers were trained in how to deliver Lexonik.

As a school, we do not have TAs so I was adamant that the staff delivering needed to be via trained English teachers as they are the experts in the building.

Once groups were up and running and we had our first set of results, I then delivered to whole staff on what the intervention is, who is selected and what is taught during this time.

From there, I provided strategies that they could use as part of our literacy toolkit in order to reinforce in lessons what is being delivered during the intervention.

What were the first impressions of the school community?

Positive. Our English teachers love delivering the intervention and staff were very impressed with the results, as were Ofsted.

I send postcards home for the students who have completed the intervention with their results on, and parents are always congratulatory and proud when they post about it on X.

Clearly there’s an expense attached to an intervention. Was cost a barrier or a concern to you?

No. It is worth every penny.

Logistics around when it would be delivered were slightly problematic at first as we are keen for students to not be removed from other areas of the curriculum to access the intervention.

However, we used our compulsory after school ‘Involve’ time to solve this issue.

How many staff did you train?

5

What results have you seen so far?

We have found this sometimes slips after finishing the intervention, which is why staff CPD is important so they can continue to utilise the strategies in lessons.

Can you share a little of what the Ofsted report states, please?

• Pupils make rapid progress through the curriculum. They develop a command of vocabulary that allows them to explain complex ideas. Pupils learn to speak, read and write like experts.
• Teachers have a relentless focus on developing pupils’ literacy and oracy. Pupils develop their confidence and ability to use new vocabulary through exercises such as ‘I say, you say’ and ‘say it loud and proud’.
• Pupils confidently explain complex ideas using specialist vocabulary. They develop knowledge and skills that belie their age.
• They have ensured that the curriculum develops extensive knowledge of new vocabulary.

Lexonik is certainly a part of enabling us to have this success.

How have you found the ongoing support of Lexonik?

Good.

I would like more information about what can be done with students who access Leap, go on to Advance, but are still weak readers and have reading ages that do not equate to chronological age.

What would you say to any school leader considering Lexonik?

Go for it. You will not regret it!

For more information about the Lexonik programmes, or to enquire about reaching out to Nikki to hear her experience, please contact our team or email [email protected]