As technology increasingly becomes an integral part of education, schools across the country are exploring how it can support reading and literacy intervention. However, for many, limited budgets and staff shortages pose significant challenges. The lack of funding often means fewer teachers, teaching assistants, and literacy specialists are available to provide targeted support, leaving schools struggling to meet the literacy needs of their pupils—especially those in Key Stage 2 as pupils’ needs become more varied.
In this environment, leveraging technology offers a new way to tackle these challenges. Scalable solutions that don’t require additional professional staff can help schools deliver high-quality literacy support, even with constrained resources. Adaptive learning tools, for example, allow schools to offer personalised reading instruction to every pupil without the need for one-to-one teaching or specialist support.
By incorporating technology, schools can address literacy issues at scale, ensuring that even with limited funds, pupils receive the support they need to catch up and thrive—without overburdening existing staff.
Moving Beyond ‘More of the Same’ in Key Stage 2
For most schools, the primary years focus on the systematic teaching of reading through Systematic Synthetic Phonics (SSP). However, when pupils reach Key Stage 2, it often becomes clear that not all have fully developed the foundational reading skills necessary to progress. In many cases, reading deficiencies are masked and the underlying issues are not always related to phonic knowledge. Some pupils may appear to be decoding words correctly but still struggle with comprehension, fluency or vocabulary.
Relying on ‘more of the same’ phonics interventions are not always effective for these learners. To truly help pupils who are behind in reading, it’s essential to identify specific skill gaps that may be preventing them from becoming proficient readers. These gaps could lie in comprehension, text analysis or vocabulary, and need to be addressed alongside any phonics challenges. At this stage, pupils don’t need a repeat of methods used in Key Stage 1—they need a real fresh start. Interventions should target their unique literacy needs while building their confidence. This equips them with the tools to catch up and make progress without falling further behind.
Catching Up then Keeping Up: A Targeted Approach
The importance of identifying and addressing literacy gaps early is crucial for ensuring long-term academic success. Pupils who enter Key Stage 2 without fully developing essential reading skills face a steep uphill climb. Without intervention, these gaps can widen, making it harder for them to engage with more complex texts and keep up with their peers as the curriculum becomes more challenging.
A targeted approach to literacy intervention is essential for closing these gaps. Schools should focus on revisiting the specific skills that pupils may have missed in Key Stage 1, whether it’s decoding, comprehension, or fluency. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution, it’s important to assess each pupil’s needs and offer tailored instruction that not only addresses their gaps but also moves them forward with more advanced literacy tasks.
In addition to catching up, pupils who have struggled to acquire reading skills, need ongoing support to ensure they can keep up with their peers. This means helping them engage with higher-level comprehension and vocabulary work that prepares them for SATs and the secondary curriculum. Schools can explore tools and strategies that offer ongoing assessment and personalised learning experiences, allowing pupils to make steady progress while teachers stay informed of their development.
By adopting a strategic, individualised approach to literacy support, educators an ensure that all pupils—regardless of where they started—can thrive in reading and beyond.
Preparing Pupils for SATs and the Future
While phonics is crucial in the early stages of literacy, Key Stage 2 pupils need more than just basic decoding skills. They must develop advanced reading skills, including critical comprehension, vocabulary development, and the ability to engage with complex texts. This prepares them not only for the immediate demands of the Key Stage 2 curriculum and SATs but also for the challenges they will face in secondary school.
Primary schools play a pivotal role in preparing pupils for these demands. Moving beyond basic literacy instruction and focusing on these higher-level skills ensures that students leave primary school as confident, capable readers, ready to tackle secondary-level texts and challenges.
Leveraging Technology to Achieve Literacy Equity at Scale
When tackling literacy challenges, schools often focus on pupils who are the furthest behind. These students are not only the most noticeable but also an immediate priority. However, there is another group that often slips under the radar or is left unsupported due to limited resources: pupils who are performing just at the expected level. While these students are generally competent with phonics, their progress can stall. This is usually because they lack exposure to a broad and rich vocabulary. Although they may show signs of progress, they are at risk of stagnating if their vocabulary and comprehension skills aren’t continually developed.
This “hard-to-reach” group might not display obvious literacy gaps, but they require just as much attention to prevent them from falling behind in the future. These pupils need support in building more complex vocabulary and developing deeper comprehension skills that go beyond basic reading proficiency. Without this enrichment, they may struggle to engage with the increasingly challenging texts they will encounter later in their education.
Technology offers an effective way to provide differentiated support at scale. Adaptive learning tools can assess not only the needs of struggling readers but also identify those who are at risk of stagnating. By delivering personalised learning experiences that challenge each pupil at their appropriate level, schools can ensure that all pupils—whether they are far behind or just on level—are continually developing their literacy skills. This approach allows teachers to focus their attention where it’s most needed while ensuring equitable literacy progress across the board.
Lexia Core5 Reading: A Comprehensive Literacy Solution
For schools seeking an efficient, scalable way to implement these strategies, Lexia Core5 Reading offers a powerful solution. Core5 blends adaptive technology with research-based pedagogy to provide personalised reading instruction that targets gaps in Key Stage 1 content while helping pupils advance through more complex Key Stage 2 literacy tasks.
Designed with the hard-pressed educator in mind, Core5 gives teachers real-time insights into pupil progress and provides the resources to support them, enabling targeted interventions without adding to their workload. By providing both catch-up support and advanced literacy skills, Core5 equips pupils with the tools they need to succeed—not just in Key Stage 2, but in secondary education and beyond.
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