Oxfordshire Reading Campaign Final Evaluation Report: September 2012-2014

In 2012, Oxfordshire County Council commissioned the National Literacy Trust to deliver a two-year campaign, the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign, to address falling Key Stage 1 literacy levels in the county's primary schools, which were amongst the worst in the country. The aims of the campaign were to increase the proportion of children reaching the expected level of 2b in national reading assessment tests (and preferably to surpass this), as well as to help instill a love of reading in children and create communities where reading for enjoyment is supported. While all schools in the county were welcome to participate, 81 target schools were identified, through analysis of national reading assessment test results and other data, as those that would most benefit from the campaign, and were therefore strongly encouraged to join. The majority of the schools that participated in the campaign came from this target group. This report will look in further detail at how the campaign was designed and delivered and will reveal how these successes were achieved. It will also indicate the challenges faced during the two years and how they were addressed, before discussing the campaign's legacy and the support offered to enable schools to continue building on their success.