Well read pupils

Staff and pupils at St Aidan’s Catholic Primary School, Huyton are celebrating after they received three reading awards.

Headteacher Moira Kenneway, said: “This follows on the success when last year we were awarded school of the year for all we did to encourage reading for pleasure.

“Our teacher, Mrs Maria Cooper won the Reading Recovery Teacher of the Year Award Maria is trained as a reading recovery teacher and works mostly with pupils in Year 1 and 2 to make them readers.

“She was recognised for her dedication and determination to making reading a priority for children, parents and staff and to give the pupils the skills to be confident and competent readers.

“She was instrumental in the school also achieving Gold Reading Mark awarded by School Improvement Liverpool. Maria has been a reading recovery teacher for many years and works tirelessly with pupils – many disadvantaged to get them reading so that they can access education.

“Olivia Doherty is a pupil in Year 1 who was on the scheme. She received support over a number of weeks and made great progress. We submitted a video of her reading ‘We’re going on a bear hunt’ and her reading was chosen as a winner for her expression and fluency.

“Olivia joined us in London with some of her Year 1 class mates to collect her prize”.

The third award was reading recovery manager of the year and was awarded to the headteacher for how the school manages the budget and the priorities of school to make reading a priority to raise its profile so that children leave St Aidan’s as readers.

By supporting staff and providing them with opportunities to develop ideas and by purchasing resources the school have made reading an important part of the curriculum.