School library project allows parents to take books home
A novel project has been launched at a primary school in Portsmouth to help children develop their reading skills.
The library at Warren Park Primary in Leigh Park will open its doors to parents following a £30,000 renovation, allowing mothers and fathers to choose books and so strengthening the chances that a child's learning will continue at home, reports Portsmouth News.
It follows a recent Ofsted report that rated the school as outstanding, but 40 per cent of pupils failed to achieve the target levels of English in Key Stage Two exams.
"The national curriculum is too busy to give schools the time to address the fundamental core skills properly and I have a genuine concern we are losing sight of the traditional art of reading," argued headteacher Colin Harris.
He added that the new library and books being allowed to be taken home would improve pass rates as well.
Mr Harris' initiative could prove useful for slower learners following claims earlier this week. The Independent reported Russell Hobby of the National Association of Headteachers as saying that the one-to-one Reading Recovery Project is being scaled back due to lack of funds.
