Westgarth English Hub offers support to local schools, academies and free schools within Redcar & Cleveland; Hartlepool; Middlesbrough; Stockton and Sunderland local authorities to enable them to deliver effective early language development; systematic synthetic phonics provision; and the promotion of a love of reading.
Our English Hub has a Strategic Hub Lead, hub Lead and Literacy Specialists and offers:
- Open Events exploring effective teaching of phonics, early language development and the promotion of a love of reading;
- Support to develop an action plan;
- Funding for training and resources;
- A full early reading audit in eligible schools;
- Up to nine days of support from a Literacy Specialist over a two-year period, for eligible schools.
The Open Events will include:
- Sessions focusing on early language and vocabulary development; effective synthetic phonics provision; the place of decodable reading books; and creating a rich reading culture across school;
- Support to begin auditing and evaluating your own provision in order to develop an effective action plan;
- Information about applying for Hub funding to develop your school’s effective teaching of phonics and early reading (up to £3,000 matched funding or £6,000 outright);
- An opportunity to apply for free, bespoke additional support from nationally trained Literacy Specialists for your school in 2023-24;
Hub Leads and Literacy Specialists receive training and ongoing support from the English Hubs Training Centre.
Westgarth Hub can offer outright funding to schools meeting at least two of the following criteria:
- 2019 phonics below national average;
- pupil premium above national average;
- OFSTED grade of RI or below.
Additional criterion
Consideration will also be given for funding to schools meeting one of the above criteria plus:
- 2020 Autumn Y2 phonics below 65%:
- 2021 Autumn Y2 phonics below 82%.
If your school meets the criteria above and you would like to improve the teaching of phonics, early reading and early language at your school:
- Request a place at one of our open events – Book Events Here
- After the event, submit a self-assessment of your school’s reading and phonics provision;
- The Hub will then prioritise schools most at need and will make funding and audit offers.
- After audits, the Hub will then identify schools who can receive intensive support – including up to £6000 of funding and up to 9 days of support in school over a two-year period from a nationally trained Literacy Specialist.