What are English Hubs?
In October 2018, the DfE launched 34 English Hubs at primary schools across England to support schools to improve the teaching of early language and reading. Each Hub school has been chosen for its track record in excellent teaching of reading. Hub schools are able to offer funding and free support to schools.
The support provided by the hubs focuses on the following three areas:
- Age-appropriate phonics
- Early-language development and ‘closing the word gap’.
- Promoting a love of reading
Age appropriate phonics provision
Encouraging best practice in systematic synthetic phonics teaching from school based early years provision to the end of key stage 1 and as the primary reading strategy throughout the school. This includes:
- Encouraging fidelity to a single systematic synthetic phonics programme
- Supporting effective use of decodable books in the early stages of learning to read to establish phonic decoding
- Supporting effective practice in formative assessment in relation to phonics / early reading.
Early language development
Providing evidence-based approaches to early language development and closing the word gap in school-based early years settings, including appropriate use of formative assessment. Building children’s speaking and listening skills in a language rich provision that are well matched to the children’s individual abilities. This allows for planning for progression and preparing children to learn to read.
Promoting a love of reading
Encouraging reading for enjoyment; supporting whole school reading approaches, reading to children at least once a day and encouraging reading at home as well as developing teachers’ knowledge of appropriate children’s literature. Ensuring that reading and language is embedded across the curriculum and is taught in a purposeful way. Children are confident presenting their work and using different types of texts to achieve their goals. Developing reflective practitioners who can talk confidently about books and use this creativity in their own work.
English Hubs
A list of all 34 English Hubs can be found here
