Willow Primary School has recently launched a new initiative to develop social reading environments aimed at nurturing motivated and engaged young readers. The school’s goal is to encourage informal book discussions and recommendations, enabling children to independently choose books, enjoy a variety of genres, and build their reading stamina.
This initiative has been led by Nichola Rossall, English Lead and Assistant Principal at Willow and also Co-Lead of Doncaster Teacher’s Reading Group (TRG).
The team at Willow Primary School noticed a decline in reading for pleasure post-COVID, with children lacking motivation, limited author knowledge, and difficulty articulating preferences. Observations confirmed low engagement with non-fiction and minimal peer book talk.
To address this, the school implemented initiatives like weekly "Book Shopping" in Key Stage 1 and social reading in Key Stage 2. These efforts have boosted student motivation, confidence in discussing choices, and family engagement via Reading Café sessions. Following this initiative, Willow Primary School aim to further expand reading access and foster independent reading.
You can view the full case study from The Open University here.
