The Olive School in top 3% nationally for phonics

Pupils and staff at The Olive School, Preston are celebrating after their school was named among the top 3% of primary schools in England for performance in phonics tests.

100% of pupils who took the Year 1 phonics screening assessment last summer reached or exceeded the pass mark, an “outstanding achievement” according to Minister of State for School Standards Nick Gibb.

In a letter congratulating the school on its pupils’ achievement Nick Gibb MP wrote:

“Your success in teaching phonics means your pupils are developing a firm foundation in reading, from which they can become increasingly fluent and develop a lifelong love of reading.”

Phonic decoding is one of the most widely recognised and successful approaches to teaching young children to read. The phonics screening check is a short assessment of pupils’ phonics skills at the end of Year 1.

The Olive School’s result vastly exceeds the national average in the 2017 test, where just over 81% of children met expected standards in phonics decoding.

Majid Ditta is Principal of The Olive School, Preston, which was a brand new school in September 2016. Majid said:

“It’s incredibly satisfying that our first ever cohort of Year 1 pupils achieved a 100% pass rate in the 2017 phonics screening check. This demonstrates the standard for the excellent teaching and learning we aim to achieve at The Olive School.

“The result highlights the firm grounding these pupils have in the early decoding skills necessary from which to build their reading ability. I would also hope that our pupils continue to develop a love of reading for pleasure, supported by their parents at home.”

The Olive School, Preston in Primrose Hill is a free school for pupils aged from 4 to 11 years. Part of Star Academies, one of the UK’s leading multi-academy trusts, The Olive School, Preston opened in September 2016 and currently has pupils in Reception,Year 1 and Year 2.

Added By: Olive Preston | Date Added: 21st Nov 2017 | Posted In: