I was delighted to see the positive article (“Full recovery, Teacher magazine, June 16) about the impact on key stage 1 and 2 results of having a trained Reading Recovery teacher in an infant school.
However, I have recently discovered that a couple of all-through primary schools, with new headteachers are considering dropping Reading Recovery in order to focus funding and effort on key stage 2. Every primary head in the land knows why: the use of contextual value-added (CVA) in the inspection system.
What is the point of making sure that every child can read (and read well) in key stage 1 when this means that the value that can subsequently be added in key stage 2 will diminish?
We know that intervening early, in Years 1 and 2, is the key to preventing lifelong literacy difficulties, and that the later you leave it, the harder it gets. Nationally, we need to find a better way of giving schools incentives to make that early investment in children’s futures.
Jean Gross
Director, Every Child a Reader
KPMG Foundation
8 Salisbury Square, London EC4
