Working with National Literacy Trust
Our journey working with National Literacy Trust
In May 2021, Bucks UTC was successful in achieving the working with National Literacy Trust. Sarah Wood, our Assistant Principal and Head of English is delighted to announce the Bucks UTC Pledge. Firstly, this demonstrates how good we are at embedding literacy into our curriculum. Subsequently, we are very proud to show the Working with National Literacy Logo here and on our website.
A Former Journalist leads Literacy Lessons
Importantly, the Bucks UTC always work hard to ensure that Literacy and Numeracy will be a priority in all lessons. Having some great employer partners taking part to show the importance of Literacy within the working world also helps. One example, the Buckinghamshire New University, Media lecturer, a former sports journalist, taught three sessions with Year 11 to run through his career and some great literacy tips. For instance, what benefits can be gained with the ability to understand the language and use it to its fullest. For example, the lessons explained how the different ways to write on various media type and to different audiences. The students really enjoyed these lessons; realising literacy was not just a lesson in school or college.
DEAR TIME
Thank you to the National Literacy Trust for acknowledging us and our success.
Sarah attended the secondary conference in January and participated in the annual literacy review. In addition to this, we also have introduced DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) TIME for all students and staff. The festival of reading was another event whereby everyone at the UTC was encouraged to enjoy and show case what they were currently reading
Challenges for students
Nevertheless, it is a challenge to get secondary students to read. Many teachers face simple facts that it may not be cool among their friends to read. Peer pressure to do other things, such as games or watch TV when we should be doing something exciting to change their attitudes. A student may be nervous about reading out loud and getting over that hurdle by allowing them to read quietly out the way of everyone is important. It’s more than just changing attitudes it is the better reading skills which are key to reaching higher grades and future employability for our students. Making them work ready is crucial.
Take a look at our employer led learning and engagements in the Careers programme,
Did you know?
Additionally, did you know that children who enjoy reading are 3 times more likely to have good mental wellbeing than children who don’t enjoy it.
Literacy is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that lets us communicate effectively and make sense of the world. The National Literacy Trust
1 in 11 disadvantaged children in the UK say that they don’t have a book of their own.
The longer children keep an enjoyment of reading going, the greater the benefits are in the classroom.
Children born into communities with the most serious literacy challenges have some of the lowest life expectancies in England.
Source National Literacy Trust
