School budgets are low, and resources are finite, so it’s increasingly important that leaders make the right decisions about how money is being spent - especially in an area as important as literacy.
Unfortunately, the literacy products available can sometimes end up promising much and delivering little.
Platforms, programmes or schemes may seem to offer a convenient fix for effective literacy instruction. They are developed and purchased with the best of intentions. But without proper evaluation of the problem they are meant to solve or whether they will truly improve learning, they can end up not having the effect we hoped.
Knowledge of literacy is key, but even the most expert literacy leaders can be baffled by the complexity of choosing effective approaches to improving literacy. What’s more, decision making is made more difficult by external forces, which combine to make purchasing decisions even more challenging.
Such influences include organisations holding schools to account; areas of focus in policy, publication and discourse. You might be influenced by the programmes and products used by school leaders local to you, or adopted across linked settings (such as the schools in a MAT); or you might see a programme effectively implemented in another setting, and decided to adopt it in your own.
We have little control over these influences, but it is useful to be aware of them, as this allows us to pause and consider how we might create conditions for making better decisions.
So how can we best create conditions for effective decision making? Here are some points to consider.
1. Be proactive
Proactive planning for literacy (or any other curriculum area) should start well in advance. This avoids making decisions under pressure and provides time to be more strategic and prioritise.
External influences are more likely to affect our decision-making when decisions are made under pressure.
2. Build knowledge
We are also more susceptible to external forces when the decision maker is a novice in a domain.
Therefore, before making a costly decision, consider what knowledge needs to be built. Better literacy decisions are underpinned by strong literacy knowledge.
Great resources for literacy development include: the EEF guidance reports for early literacy, key stage one and key stage two literacy and secondary literacy; the DfE reading and writing frameworks; and the Oracy Commission’s report.
3. Collaborate with literacy leaders
Consider who your literacy leaders are. Research has found that a single person leading literacy is unlikely to be as successful as setting up distributed literacy leadership.
You will benefit from involving literacy leads, teaching and learning leads and Sendcos in your decision making. Through collaboration, you will be able to pool expertise, build confidence and develop understanding of your context.
4. Understand your strengths and challenges
Understanding your context, including areas of strength and development, will help you to know where you already have resources you can use, and where you might need to invest in professional development.
Areas for development may or may not align with national publications or priorities; your responsibility is to your setting and community.
5. Explore different solutions
Solutions are most likely to work if they are well-matched to the problems we are trying to solve in our settings. You will want to fully explore solutions, including those you wouldn’t usually consider. These might include products, training and toolkits that are evidence-informed.
Organisations like the DfE and the EEF have guidance reports that will support you in understanding how literacy can best be taught and developed, ensuring your evaluation is more robust and focused.
6. Evaluate products
There is no single approach to effective literacy instruction and many products on the market.
It’s essential that leaders evaluate products to ensure they choose the best investment for their setting. As you explore solutions, you may want to consider these questions:
- Is the solution rooted in evidence?
- Is the solution aligned with your school’s existing approaches to literacy?
- Can the solution be adapted (to your setting, for pupils’ needs, over time)?
- Will the solution develop educators’ knowledge and skills?
- Will it work practically in your setting?
- What professional development will the solution require?
- What are the limitations of the solution?
- How will you undertake robust implementation?
Being intentional about the solutions we invest in to improve literacy is essential. Taking time, building knowledge, collaborating and evaluating gives you the best chance of selecting a solution that meets the needs of your school community - prioritising longevity, growth and engagement over a short sharp boost of improvement, which may not go the distance.
Laura Spargo is a primary English specialist with international teaching and leadership experience across the UK, Spain and Dubai. Sarah Bagshaw-McCormick is a secondary English and literacy specialist with 25 years’ experience in the English education sector.
