Sheffield's St Wilfrid's Primary to become English hub to help improve reading standards in struggling schools

A Sheffield school has been chosen as one of just 32 across the country to become an English hub and help improve reading standards.
St Wilfrid's Primary executive headteacher Andrew TrubySt Wilfrid's Primary executive headteacher Andrew Truby
St Wilfrid's Primary executive headteacher Andrew Truby

St Wilfird's Primary School, a Catholic Voluntary Academy, in Millhouses, will promote a love of reading and support schools that struggle to teach children to read by improving the teaching of early language and reading.

The 32 schools, announced by  Education Secretary Damian Hinds MP, will spread best practice and teaching techniques, backed by £26.3 million funding.

St Wilfrid's Primary executive headteacher Andrew TrubySt Wilfrid's Primary executive headteacher Andrew Truby
St Wilfrid's Primary executive headteacher Andrew Truby
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Executive headteacher Andrew Truby said he was delighted St Wlfrid's had been chosen after going through a competitive process.

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He added: 'I am incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication of the staff at St Wilfrid's and this new designation is testimony to that.'

'Our vision for St Wilfrid's 2020 is to become a world-class, system leading Catholic school and we feel highly privileged to be able to support schools across East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber to develop their approach to systematic, synthetic phonics so that more children can become confident and fluent readers.'

Each of the 32 hubs will identify a specialist literacy teacher, who will get additional training to act as experts in teaching in early language and reading from reception year to Key Stage One.

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St Wilfrid's will work with school across the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber to increase reading standards and improve education outcomes for the most disadvantaged children, particularly in underperforming schools.

Work will include providing school workshops for teachers and more intensive school-to-school support.

Head of school Delia Evans said: 'As a school, we are committed to improving life chances for all of our children and learning to read plays a major part in this because it opens up a whole new world.'

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