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Collaboration

Raising early reading standards

In October 2018, The Greetland Academy – part of Great Heights Academy Trust – was selected by the Department for Education as one of only 34 schools nationally to be designated as an English Hub School – a recognition of its excellence in the teaching of phonics, early language and reading.

This designation marked the beginning of the Great Heights English Hub, whose mission is to work alongside schools to ensure every child becomes a confident, fluent reader through evidence-based practice and expert support. Through our training, resources and network of partner schools, we help teachers to create language-rich environments where every child can thrive – and enjoy reading!

English Hub schools will promote the love of reading and support schools across the country to provide excellent phonics and early language teaching.

Department for Education 

Delivered by Literacy Experts

Our team of Literacy Specialists are trained as experts in the teaching of early language and reading, offering bespoke guidance to Primary schools including reading and phonics audits, action plans and professional development. Our English Hub Strategic Lead and Specialist Leader in Education Helen Crowther leads the Calderdale Literacy Leads Network and holds a master’s degree in English.

The English Hub programme offers:

  • Showcase events at The Greetland Academy and partner schools
  • Early reading audits and tailored action planning
  • Medium and intensive support packages for eligible schools
  • Resources funding and support for SSP-aligned training
  • Conferences and CPD across all aspects of early reading

We provide practical, hands-on support to develop reading leadership, improve classroom practice, and raise pupil outcomes, especially in schools where children face the greatest barriers to literacy.

Supporting our own Trust schools

As part of Great Heights Academy Trust, the English Hub supports our own Trust schools to strengthen early reading. We set high expectations and ensure best practice in reading across our Trust by ensuring:

  • A cross-trust representative English Hub strategic board is in place to support delivery for all and quality assures the work of the Hub alongside providing professional challenge.
  • The Hub Lead Carries out a full audit of provision in any new school joining our Trust.
  • An identified reading leader is in every school and receives half termly support from the Hub to ensure best practice in early reading and interventions where children are not on track.
  • Hub expertise is available when our Trust schools are writing their SDPs.
  • The development of a team of highly trained Hub Reading Leaders across our Trust schools to provide self-sustaining on-site support.

A Trust wide expectations document based on the English Hub Challenge checklist is used to support all school leaders in monitoring early reading provision in their schools.

Get in Touch

If you’re a school leader, literacy lead or classroom practitioner looking to improve early reading in your setting, we’d love to hear from you.

Visit our dedicated website to learn more: https://greatheightsenglishhub.org/

Email: englishhub@greetlandacademy.org.uk

Phone: 01422 761019

Hub Strategic Lead: Helen Crowther
Hub Lead: Adam Harris
Hub Administrator: Maria McFadden

Great Heights Academy Trust – Riverside Mills, Saddleworth Road, Elland, HX5 0RY

01422 761019   |   mat@greatheightstrust.org.uk

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