Reading transition toolkit KS2-KS3 - Whole-school reading development

Sep 15, 2026

A strategic school improvement project guide for whole-school reading development across the KS2 to KS3 transition. It examines key drivers of literacy outcomes including the role of school libraries, vocabulary development, and reading opportunities across the curriculum. The toolkit also addresses staff capability, supporting non-specialists, sustaining parental engagement at KS3/4, and developing transition reading projects with feeder primaries, motivation, and resilience—supported by case study direction and next-step actions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages33

Reading Time1 h 23 min

AccessFree to download

Prologue

Whole-School Strategies and Case Studies

The Use of the Library

Vocabulary Development

Developing Opportunities for Reading Across the Curriculum

Developing Transition Reading Projects with Feeder Primaries

Motivation for Reading

Maintaining Parental Engagement in Reading at KS3/4

Helping the Non-Specialist to get the Most from Reading Activities

Next Steps

Nottingham Education Partners Strategic School Improvement Project 1: Reading Whole-school Reading development Strategic School Improvement Project 1: Reading Transition Toolkit KS2-KS3 Contents Contents Nottingham Education Partners Strategic School Improvement Project 1: Reading Whole-school Reading development Prologue 3 Whole-School Strategies and Case Studies 5 The Use of the Library 11 Vocabulary Development 13 Developing Opportunities for Reading Across the Curriculum 16 Developing Transition Reading Projects with Feeder Primaries 21 Motivation for Reading 25 Maintaining Parental Engagement in Reading at KS3/4 30 Helping the Non-Specialist to get the Most from Reading Activities 32 Next Steps 33 Nottingham Prologue Education Partners When it was published in September 2015 Key stage 3: the wasted years? stated that pupils’ literacy skills in Key Stage 3 is a high priority in many schools.1 This same level of priority is not evident for numeracy.’ The report also recommended that secondary schools should ‘have a literacy (and numeracy) strategy that ensures that pupils build on their prior attainment in Key Stage 2 in these crucial areas.’ Despite these findings and recommendations produced by inspectors, when we met with a group of heads of English and Literacy Leads from Nottingham City secondary schools, they voiced extreme concerns about the development of literacy at secondary school. There was a strong feeling that Secondary Schools still did not do enough to carry on the excellent work carried out by the primaries in terms of the continuing teaching of reading and the maintenance of a high profile emphasis on the continuing development of literacy skills right through to Key Stage 4. They felt that this was having a negative impact on results at Key Stage 4, not only in English, but also across the curriculum. They felt that this had an impact for many on their readiness for learning and work beyond Key Stage 4 leading to the sort of shock headlines seen in the media ‘English teenagers ‘are most illiterate in the developed world’, report reveals’ published in The Independent after OECD report of January 2016 which found that out of 23 developed nations English teens had the lowest literacy rates and the second lowest numeracy rates.2 The Heads of English with whom we met expressed the following concerns: The use of the library Many secondary schools no longer have a library and those which do often lack trained librarians. They can either be vibrant hubs of learning and engagement with books or drab areas with a few tatty books which students never visit. Vocabulary development Our Heads of English were concerned that students’ vocabulary was often extremely limited. They were particularly anxious about students with English as an additional language who were often bright and extremely hard working. Yet the challenges about preparing them for KS4 and the challenging vocabulary needed for successful outcomes across the curriculum was daunting. The other main area of concern was the use of vocabulary across the curriculum and how Literacy professionals could ensure that their colleagues in different subject areas are prepared and have the skills for teaching aspects of literacy. Developing opportunities for reading across the curriculum “As a secondary English teacher I now observe many lessons across all subject areas and phases. I have lost count of the number of times that teachers do not capitalise on the joy that students get from reading aloud in lessons– even if it is only for a short time. The teachers I have observed so often read for students.” There are some excellent examples of teachers who put literature at the Menu 1. Key Stage 3: the wasted years?, Ofsted, 2015 3 2. BUILDING SKILLS FOR ALL: AREVIEW OF ENGLAND, OECD, 2016 Nottingham Prologue Education Partners centre of their teaching for example in Science and the Humanitie

FAQs

Why is whole-school reading development a priority for the KS2-KS3 transition?

The project addresses concerns that literacy focus can drop at secondary level, limiting pupils’ readiness and impacting outcomes at KS4 and beyond.

How should schools use libraries to support reading engagement?

The toolkit highlights that libraries can become effective learning hubs when they have appropriate staffing and resources, rather than remaining underused spaces.

What strategies support vocabulary growth across the curriculum at KS3/4?

It focuses on developing students’ vocabulary limits, supporting learners with English as an additional language, and equipping colleagues in different subjects to teach literacy elements effectively.

Sep 15, 2026

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