Pupils earn top marks for reading at Barnard Castle school

Green Lane Primary School’s early years foundation stage classes have been recognised as being in the top ten per cent in the country.

The year one group has excelled at learning to read using phonics achieving a 96 per cent rating, while the reception class is among the top at reaching a “good level of development” (GLD).

The school started using a Little Wardle programme three years to teach children how to use phonics to read.

Headteacher Rob Goffee explained: “It breaks down words into different phonetic sounds.

“You teach the children to spot the sounds within words, like ‘shhh’, and then they blend those together.

The idea is, if the children have learned those skills to identify the sounds, they will be able to read any word that they come across, rather than have to be told what each word is.

“Some of the children we have with quite high special needs have passed phonics this year, which we would never have expected before.

“Over the three years we have gone from hitting the national average, gone above the national average and now this third year, top ten per cent in the country.

“We put a lot of time and resources into early reading because it is so important.”

The headteacher expressed pride in the staff for their dedication to the new system.

Of the reception class, Mr Goffee explained that children need to reach early learning goals to achieve a good level of development.

He added: “Some of them are to do with maths and English, but a lot of them are to do with physical development and personal social skills, getting on with each other, sharing, and learning about the world and your place in it.”

It also measures art, design and construction abilities.

Mr Goffee said: “If the children have a good level of development, it is a good indication that they are going to go on to do well, not only in primary school, but in secondary school as well. If the foundation is there, it is more likely they will achieve.

“Our school is very good at getting children to that level of development.”

All children in the reception class are achieving their goals regardless of their background and family circumstances.

Mr Goffee attributed the success to deputy headteacher and early years lead Nic Linsley.

He said: “She has built a brilliant team around her, and they want the best for every child.

“Each child has their own personal assessment, they know exactly what each child’s strengths are, but also what they might need.”