Watch the feature here: ‘Life and death’: The Bradford school holding emergency literacy lessons | ITV News Calendar
Carlton Bolling has been in the spotlight after ITV featured our transformative literacy intervention programme, highlighting the urgent need to tackle illiteracy among secondary school students.
When a third of Year 7 students across the Trust arrived unable to read or write to the level needed for everyday tasks, it was clear that action was essential. Under the leadership of Jenny Webb, Director of English for Carlton Academy Trust, an ambitious and targeted literacy strategy was launched, at Carlton Bolling and Carlton Keighley, providing tailored phonics tuition to students as old as 15 and 16.
Miss Webb, a nationally recognised literacy expert and founder of the Literacy Community teachers’ network, didn’t mince words about the importance of reading: “We know there’s a very clear link between illiteracy and prison… it’s life and death.”
Turning the Tide on Illiteracy
The intervention sessions, led by dedicated teachers like Rob Stringer, break reading down to its core components, helping students grasp the fundamental skills they missed in primary school. “I expected to be teaching classic literature,” Mr. Stringer admitted. “But the real reward comes in seeing a student read for the first time.”
For many students, this programme has been life-changing. One 15-year-old, who had previously avoided reading in class and even skipped school, shared how the sessions helped him overcome his fears: “I used to get scared… The words were difficult to say. I felt really disappointed in myself.”
Now, another student proudly shared how he’s reading for pleasure for the first time: “I love aviation, so I’m reading a book about the Red Arrows. My confidence is going up.”
Real Results, Real Change
Since September, around 140 students have made significant progress through the programme, proving that with the right support, students can overcome literacy barriers.
Carlton Bolling Head of School, Mohammed Azum, spoke passionately about the importance of literacy: “Literacy for me is a superpower. It’s the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. We are creating leaders of the future, and that’s what makes me so proud to work here.”
A National Issue
The programme aligns with national efforts to support struggling readers. The National Literacy Trust and the Department for Education have both reinforced the importance of ensuring every child leaves school with strong reading and writing skills.
With literacy at the heart of our vision, this is just the beginning. The success at Carlton Bolling and Carlton Keighley has set the stage for further developments across our schools – because every child deserves the power to read.
Learn more about our literacy strategy: Transforming Literacy: The profound impact of our ambitious reading strategy – Carlton Academy Trust