Four years ago, we established a network-wide objective: by 2028, 90% of students in all Lift primary schools will pass the phonics check.
We also pledged that 90% would achieve reading levels at or above their expected age, with annual assessments for every learner from Year 2 to Year 10 to monitor their progress.
These reading aspirations, alongside our aims for end-of-primary and GCSE results, constitute what we refer to as Lift490.
This initiative embodies a bold and unprecedented set of aspirations that have elevated our goals and collective ambitions throughout Lift Schools.
‘Unyielding determination’
This level of ambition requires us, as educators, to raise our game. It necessitates accuracy, perseverance, and an unyielding commitment to advance the opportunities for the children and young people we support.
This is why I was so inspired to hear the Secretary of State echo this challenge nationally, setting a target for 90% of students to pass the phonics check and introducing a new mandatory reading test for Year 8 students.
The ambition is spot on.
However, it can only be realized through the type of comprehensive focus, dedication, and teamwork that Lift490 is fostering.
With several years of experience, I can assert confidently that Lift490 has been a unifying force.
It has clarified our goals, fostered professional unity, and instilled a belief that every child is capable of success.
When rigorously measured, intelligently intervened, and with high expectations consistently upheld, success will follow.
Lift490 has kept reading at the forefront of our mission, equipping schools with the necessary tools and data to pursue improvement confidently.
Reading is the key that unlocks all avenues—learning, engagement, and opportunity. Ensuring that every child can read proficiently should be the fundamental standard for all schools.
Where students require support, it must be prompt, targeted, and unwavering. The responsibility for reading extends beyond primary schools; it’s a collective duty.
Moreover, it’s about the joy of reading. It opens up realms of creativity, empathy, and exploration.
‘Commitment, focus, and conviction’
Our aim is not just for children to read fluently, but for them to love reading, to see it as their own, and to recognize its potential to take them anywhere they aspire.
Books present new perspectives, enhance vocabulary, and introduce innovative ways of thinking. They cultivate empathy and understanding, enabling young individuals to comprehend themselves and the world better.
In 2021, our first assessment of 24,000 pupils showed that only 58% of Key Stage 3 students were secure readers.
This statistic was a wake-up call; however, it equipped us with the clarity we required.
By the next summer, that figure rose to 65%, and by 2025, it climbed to 72%. These numbers are not just statistics; they signify thousands of young people now able to engage fully in their education, experience school life, and read confidently for enjoyment as well as knowledge.
The most notable improvements have occurred in schools with a high percentage of disadvantaged white working-class students: a nine percentage point increase at Unity City in Middlesbrough and ten at Clacton in Essex.
In both scenarios, progress has stemmed from strong leadership, heightened expectations, and a whole-school strategy that brings every adult together around the same objective, avoiding reliance on a single reading coordinator.
This transformation demands time, focus, and belief. Yet, the principle is straightforward: when meticulously measured, intelligently intervened, and kept to high expectations, success will surely come.
As a nation, we must embrace this belief. A unified emphasis on reading is not just about improving scores; it is about opening doors. Every child who can read proficiently is more likely to succeed in education and in life. This is a goal deserving of our utmost effort.
