[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"case-study-transforming-reading-outcomes-across-a-multi-academy-trust":3},{"_createdAt":4,"_id":5,"_rev":6,"_system":7,"_type":10,"_updatedAt":11,"asideCta":12,"excerpt":25,"highlightParagraphs":26,"highlights":408,"objectiveCategory":421,"orderRank":425,"pageBuilder":426,"regionCategory":437,"school":441,"schoolTypeCategory":442,"schoolWebsite":446,"slug":447,"stats":450,"thumbnailImage":467,"title":472},"2026-09-15T09:31:56Z","6387f7c2-518c-40b8-a12b-109adcb2b315","ULyhy3ig3i0aXxlzHDEf6W",{"base":8},{"id":5,"rev":9},"mNk1q5uT3x3LfxRz0wTJny","successStory","2026-09-15T10:32:25Z",{"links":13,"text":23,"title":24},[14],{"_key":15,"_type":16,"internalLink":17,"linkStyle":20,"linkText":21,"linkType":22},"12345","singleLink",{"_ref":18,"_type":19},"45d005c0-67fe-4968-a158-b49ec77eb061","reference","btn-tertiary","Request a call or demo","internal","Enter your details below to book a conversation, a tour of Bedrock or simply to answer your questions.","Want to find out more?","\"We have a long way to go, but the progress we've made is extremely strong. Bedrock has been a huge part of that work.\"",[27,97,125,153,268,296,380],{"_key":28,"_type":29,"textBody":30,"title":96},"ec0f3a550e54","item",[31,42,50,71,88],{"_key":32,"_type":33,"children":34,"markDefs":40,"style":41},"cdf9f106bef3","block",[35],{"_key":36,"_type":37,"marks":38,"text":39},"e46996e70e57","span",[],"In 2024, Carlton Academy Trust launched a trust-wide literacy improvement strategy designed to strengthen reading outcomes across its schools. Central to this work has been a network of dedicated literacy leaders in every school, supported through trust-wide collaboration, shared priorities and strategic oversight from the Trust's literacy team.",[],"normal",{"_key":43,"_type":33,"children":44,"markDefs":49,"style":41},"856677a99de4",[45],{"_key":46,"_type":37,"marks":47,"text":48},"bbffcb51dfbc",[],"Two years later, the picture looks very different.",[],{"_key":51,"_type":33,"children":52,"markDefs":70,"style":41},"faf9d5f79de0",[53,57,62,66],{"_key":54,"_type":37,"marks":55,"text":56},"1fe4881682bd",[],"Across the Trust, average reading age has increased from 10.9 months below chronological age to 4 months above. During the same period, the Trust reports that ",{"_key":58,"_type":37,"marks":59,"text":61},"152946d8ffa8",[60],"strong","428 more pupils can now read",{"_key":63,"_type":37,"marks":64,"text":65},"89ec4515c57f",[],", while ",{"_key":67,"_type":37,"marks":68,"text":69},"f842fc607382",[60],"the number of 16+ readers has increased by almost 50%.",[],{"_key":72,"_type":33,"children":73,"markDefs":87,"style":41},"0120e3289106",[74,78,83],{"_key":75,"_type":37,"marks":76,"text":77},"02cdf1ed495b",[],"As part of a literacy improvement programme, Bedrock has supported Carlton Academy Trust's work to improve reading outcomes and strengthen literacy provision across its schools. ",{"_key":79,"_type":37,"marks":80,"text":82},"edc923f3bfc8",[81],"em","“We have a long way to go, but the progress we've made is extremely strong. Bedrock has been a huge part of that work,”",{"_key":84,"_type":37,"marks":85,"text":86},"83a493c851b0",[],"  said Jenny Webb, Director of English and Literacy, Carlton Academy Trust.",[],{"_key":89,"_type":33,"children":90,"markDefs":95,"style":41},"552f94ecf95e",[91],{"_key":92,"_type":37,"marks":93,"text":94},"9c8ac9acc1a5",[],"The results are based on approximately 3,500 pupils across Carlton Academy Trust, with all reading-age measures collected using Bedrock Reading Test and consistent assessment methodology throughout the programme.",[],"Overview",{"_key":98,"_type":29,"textBody":99,"title":124},"ec5989bf4368",[100,108,116],{"_key":101,"_type":33,"children":102,"markDefs":107,"style":41},"ccb759df0adb",[103],{"_key":104,"_type":37,"marks":105,"text":106},"973c9a8785b7",[],"Like many schools across England, Carlton Academy Trust recognised the impact that literacy has on attainment, curriculum access and long-term pupil success. When the Trust began working with Bedrock in July 2024, the average pupil started with a reading age 10.9 months below their chronological age, highlighting the scale of the literacy challenge facing schools across the Trust.",[],{"_key":109,"_type":33,"children":110,"markDefs":115,"style":41},"e86abcf7229f",[111],{"_key":112,"_type":37,"marks":113,"text":114},"418144bc9e56",[],"Leaders wanted to improve reading outcomes whilst ensuring that literacy remained a sustained strategic priority rather than a short-term intervention. Rather than relying on isolated interventions, the Trust sought to embed literacy improvement through a long-term, trust-wide approach focused on raising reading attainment and improving access to the curriculum for all pupils.",[],{"_key":117,"_type":33,"children":118,"markDefs":123,"style":41},"f5c53c7cc016",[119],{"_key":120,"_type":37,"marks":121,"text":122},"f131367ac164",[],"At the outset of the programme, 59.6% of pupils were reading below age-related expectations, underlining the scale of the challenge facing the Trust.",[],"The challenge",{"_key":126,"_type":29,"textBody":127,"title":152},"3cc768722957",[128,136,144],{"_key":129,"_type":33,"children":130,"markDefs":135,"style":41},"b023d266ed3f",[131],{"_key":132,"_type":37,"marks":133,"text":134},"f7a3446a184a",[],"Carlton developed a trust-wide approach to literacy improvement designed to deliver long-term gains in reading attainment and pupil outcomes.",[],{"_key":137,"_type":33,"children":138,"markDefs":143,"style":41},"4a2f4d95cd7a",[139],{"_key":140,"_type":37,"marks":141,"text":142},"e36b5ad8d3c6",[],"The Trust's initial implementation involved four schools. Carlton Bolling and Carlton Keighley adopted the Bedrock Curriculum alongside Bedrock Reading Test, while Oulton Academy and Beechcliffe implemented Bedrock Reading Test to establish a clear picture of pupil reading attainment and progress over time.",[],{"_key":145,"_type":33,"children":146,"markDefs":151,"style":41},"ac5b339e6d07",[147],{"_key":148,"_type":37,"marks":149,"text":150},"1a0fd87f704a",[],"Bedrock formed part of a broader literacy strategy focused on strengthening reading, vocabulary and access to the curriculum across the Trust. Central to this work has been the Trust's investment in dedicated literacy leaders in every school. Supported through trust-wide collaboration, shared best practice and strategic guidance, these leaders drive implementation locally and play a critical role in delivering literacy improvement across the Trust. This structure has helped ensure consistency across schools while allowing leaders to respond to the needs of their own pupils and communities.",[],"The approach",{"_key":154,"_type":29,"textBody":155,"title":267},"82532639c728",[156,164,172,180,188,196,204,220,228,235,243,251,259],{"_key":157,"_type":33,"children":158,"markDefs":163,"style":41},"67746daffb98",[159],{"_key":160,"_type":37,"marks":161,"text":162},"3ec4074deb5c",[60],"1. Closing the reading gap",[],{"_key":165,"_type":33,"children":166,"markDefs":171,"style":41},"20b506bfe1b7",[167],{"_key":168,"_type":37,"marks":169,"text":170},"5a0bec5ec17a",[],"At the start of the programme, the average pupil across Carlton Academy Trust was reading 10.9 months below their chronological age. By July 2026, the average pupil was reading 4 months above their chronological age.",[],{"_key":173,"_type":33,"children":174,"markDefs":179,"style":41},"49085d84c117",[175],{"_key":176,"_type":37,"marks":177,"text":178},"fac2a869644b",[],"This represents a substantial shift in reading attainment across the Trust, with pupils not only closing the gap between reading age and chronological age, but moving beyond age-related expectations on average.",[],{"_key":181,"_type":33,"children":182,"markDefs":187,"style":41},"c0dc65ba632c",[183],{"_key":184,"_type":37,"marks":185,"text":186},"322d4193b390",[],"",[],{"_key":189,"_type":33,"children":190,"markDefs":195,"style":41},"5f41627ea64c",[191],{"_key":192,"_type":37,"marks":193,"text":194},"aa8fbf17c67e",[60],"2. Supporting struggling readers",[],{"_key":197,"_type":33,"children":198,"markDefs":203,"style":41},"3e09ada82ca2",[199],{"_key":200,"_type":37,"marks":201,"text":202},"70ac529cb3f7",[],"One of the most striking outcomes has been the progress made amongst pupils with the greatest literacy needs.",[],{"_key":205,"_type":33,"children":206,"markDefs":219,"style":41},"aae430484ecd",[207,211,215],{"_key":208,"_type":37,"marks":209,"text":210},"9adfa1bc0492",[],"Carlton Academy Trust reports that ",{"_key":212,"_type":37,"marks":213,"text":214},"3fec61932650",[60],"428 additional pupils can now read",{"_key":216,"_type":37,"marks":217,"text":218},"05d869d03af8",[],".",[],{"_key":221,"_type":33,"children":222,"markDefs":227,"style":41},"41d479e4198b",[223],{"_key":224,"_type":37,"marks":225,"text":226},"2f30859ee7bd",[],"Carlton Academy Trust defines functional illiteracy as a reading age below 9 years and 6 months. Since the programme began, 428 additional pupils have moved above this threshold, contributing to a 49% reduction in the number of pupils classified as functionally illiterate.",[],{"_key":229,"_type":33,"children":230,"markDefs":234,"style":41},"170171e186ec",[231],{"_key":232,"_type":37,"marks":233,"text":186},"9674d12f3a2b",[],[],{"_key":236,"_type":33,"children":237,"markDefs":242,"style":41},"0b8137e40bd5",[238],{"_key":239,"_type":37,"marks":240,"text":241},"06067ef1f2e3",[60],"3. Increasing advanced readers",[],{"_key":244,"_type":33,"children":245,"markDefs":250,"style":41},"3e6b2d61a050",[246],{"_key":247,"_type":37,"marks":248,"text":249},"307525f2498a",[],"The Trust has also seen growth at the top end of reading attainment.",[],{"_key":252,"_type":33,"children":253,"markDefs":258,"style":41},"8da202bc8a8e",[254],{"_key":255,"_type":37,"marks":256,"text":257},"63e47a7c96d0",[],"The proportion of pupils achieving a reading age of 16.0 years or above increased from 25.8% in September 2024 to 37.9% in July 2026, representing a 47% increase in advanced readers across the Trust.",[],{"_key":260,"_type":33,"children":261,"markDefs":266,"style":41},"c5bcf4d0fb92",[262],{"_key":263,"_type":37,"marks":264,"text":265},"4d3f79253057",[],"This suggests not only improvement amongst struggling readers, but continued development amongst pupils already reading at higher levels.",[],"The impact",{"_key":269,"_type":29,"textBody":270,"title":295},"01d4b8768c8f",[271,279,287],{"_key":272,"_type":33,"children":273,"markDefs":278,"style":41},"545168db198f",[274],{"_key":275,"_type":37,"marks":276,"text":277},"8d1436e63cc6",[],"Carlton Academy Trust is also beginning to observe relationships between literacy improvement and wider educational outcomes.",[],{"_key":280,"_type":33,"children":281,"markDefs":286,"style":41},"5e1907a4c7f5",[282],{"_key":283,"_type":37,"marks":284,"text":285},"58007919ce85",[],"Internal analysis suggests that pupils making stronger reading progress may also experience improvements in attendance over time, while leaders are also beginning to observe a relationship between reading development and academic performance. While this analysis is still developing and should be viewed as correlational rather than causal, the findings align with wider national evidence from the Department for Education highlighting the relationship between attendance and educational success.",[],{"_key":288,"_type":33,"children":289,"markDefs":294,"style":41},"ddb6af7c67dc",[290],{"_key":291,"_type":37,"marks":292,"text":293},"6884d46f6f96",[],"The Trust continues to investigate these patterns as part of its wider evaluation of literacy improvement across participating schools.",[],"Emerging links beyond reading",{"_key":297,"_type":29,"textBody":298,"title":379},"6712ad67f6b9",[299,307,315,323,331,339,347,355,363,371],{"_key":300,"_type":33,"children":301,"markDefs":306,"style":41},"5ca422e16f56",[302],{"_key":303,"_type":37,"marks":304,"text":305},"fff7a35f22a6",[],"For Carlton Academy Trust, sustained improvement has come not from a single intervention but from a carefully planned and consistently implemented strategy.",[],{"_key":308,"_type":33,"children":309,"markDefs":314,"style":41},"24cb233881a8",[310],{"_key":311,"_type":37,"marks":312,"text":313},"377b38952a6d",[],"Jenny Webb (Director of English and Literacy), reflects:",[],{"_key":316,"_type":33,"children":317,"markDefs":322,"style":41},"fd26cfc8e98c",[318],{"_key":319,"_type":37,"marks":320,"text":321},"316f72f575d9",[81],"\"The most important factor driving our success, aside from having selected really excellent partners to work with, has been the strength of our implementation. We have been extremely strategic in our approach, ensuring that planning takes account of every logistical barrier we might predict. We have involved the whole school in the reading drives, so leadership, teaching staff, pastoral teams and students all know the part they have to play, and why it is so important.\"",[],{"_key":324,"_type":33,"children":325,"markDefs":330,"style":41},"bb6e13b9efc6",[326],{"_key":327,"_type":37,"marks":328,"text":329},"91404bd4dd06",[],"The Trust has also invested heavily in staff capacity, ensuring interventions are delivered effectively and that pupils receive the support needed to engage with reading improvement programmes.",[],{"_key":332,"_type":33,"children":333,"markDefs":338,"style":41},"a24b933e9749",[334],{"_key":335,"_type":37,"marks":336,"text":337},"76d698e878dc",[81],"\"We have also invested massively in staff time to run interventions properly and support students to engage with the resources we have provided for them.\"",[],{"_key":340,"_type":33,"children":341,"markDefs":346,"style":41},"ab5df8397428",[342],{"_key":343,"_type":37,"marks":344,"text":345},"649bc71189b4",[],"Reflecting on Bedrock's role within the wider literacy strategy, Jenny highlights both the consistency of pupil engagement and the value of robust assessment.",[],{"_key":348,"_type":33,"children":349,"markDefs":354,"style":41},"bc0449d17543",[350],{"_key":351,"_type":37,"marks":352,"text":353},"1fb2f913d364",[81],"\"Bedrock has been really powerful for us. Students spend a set amount of time on Bedrock every week as a minimum, though many exceed this by choice, and we ensure that students comply with this expectation. Bedrock is supporting vocabulary acquisition, exposure to different types of texts and ideas. In turn, this is having a significant impact on reading levels over time.\"",[],{"_key":356,"_type":33,"children":357,"markDefs":362,"style":41},"e2b528d9dfe8",[358],{"_key":359,"_type":37,"marks":360,"text":361},"f3333ff10a68",[81],"\"We also use the Bedrock Reading Test, which I have found to be the best reading screener I have used in all my time leading literacy.\"",[],{"_key":364,"_type":33,"children":365,"markDefs":370,"style":41},"b63e7b2e91d3",[366],{"_key":367,"_type":37,"marks":368,"text":369},"f8f0de4a207c",[],"The Trust remains focused on long-term improvement rather than short-term gains.",[],{"_key":372,"_type":33,"children":373,"markDefs":378,"style":41},"b137564913cd",[374],{"_key":375,"_type":37,"marks":376,"text":377},"9be3edd48c19",[81],"\"My best advice for people wanting to affect change at scale is to be consistent and sweat the small stuff. It is very tempting to get distracted by the next big thing in literacy and to switch your focus, programme or assessment every other year. But improving reading levels is a long-term business. You need to stay the course and commit to what you have chosen to do.\"",[],"Leadership reflections",{"_key":381,"_type":29,"textBody":382,"title":407},"c8cab026732b",[383,391,399],{"_key":384,"_type":33,"children":385,"markDefs":390,"style":41},"a9505af8a161",[386],{"_key":387,"_type":37,"marks":388,"text":389},"a07b83a5e823",[],"Carlton Academy Trust continues to develop its literacy provision, building on the progress made across its schools and strengthening its commitment to evidence-informed practice.",[],{"_key":392,"_type":33,"children":393,"markDefs":398,"style":41},"e431f4a45ee5",[394],{"_key":395,"_type":37,"marks":396,"text":397},"87276470518b",[],"The Trust remains focused on sharing effective approaches, learning from wider educational developments, and further exploring the relationship between literacy, attendance and academic success.",[],{"_key":400,"_type":33,"children":401,"markDefs":406,"style":41},"97ca2c537568",[402],{"_key":403,"_type":37,"marks":404,"text":405},"c064d6946956",[],"With strong foundations now established, the Trust's focus remains on sustaining progress and ensuring that every pupil develops the reading skills needed to succeed both within and beyond the classroom.",[],"Looking ahead",[409,413,417],{"_key":410,"_type":29,"title":411,"value":412},"bf999f415e1f","Trust size","9 schools",{"_key":414,"_type":29,"title":415,"value":416},"f0cd0d707db4","Bedrock users","3,500",{"_key":418,"_type":29,"title":419,"value":420},"27503b78cc68","Bedrock partner since","July 2024",[422],{"_key":423,"_ref":424,"_type":19},"e71665b787b1","8d365c84-e135-495a-9e1e-066281e1fb8b","0|090002:",[427],{"_key":428,"_type":429,"bgOptions":430,"job":433,"name":434,"quote":435,"style":436},"449c9835b04f","longQuote",{"addCurve":431,"spacingBottom":432},false,"slice-half","Director of English and Literacy, Carlton Academy Trust","Jennifer Webb","Bedrock has been really powerful for us. Students spend a set amount of time on Bedrock every week as a minimum, though many exceed this by choice, and we ensure that students comply with this expectation. Bedrock is supporting vocabulary acquisition, exposure to different types of texts and ideas. In turn, this is having a significant impact on reading levels over time... We also use the Bedrock Reading Test, which I have found to be the best reading screener I have used in all my time leading literacy.","quote01",[438],{"_key":439,"_ref":440,"_type":19},"f565c0c7b361","83bf28f3-a699-44e1-8a2a-e228204475ef","Carlton Academy Trust",[443],{"_key":444,"_ref":445,"_type":19},"66501361d4fd","4974dbcd-1292-48f5-81df-c32412bef38f","https:\u002F\u002Fcarltonacademytrust.co.uk\u002F",{"_type":448,"current":449},"slug","transforming-reading-outcomes-across-a-multi-academy-trust",{"_type":451,"bgOptions":452,"list":453},"stats01",{"addCurve":431,"spacingBottom":432},[454,459,463],{"_key":455,"_type":456,"stat":457,"title":458},"d50cf53ce081","listItem","428","more students can now read",{"_key":460,"_type":456,"stat":461,"title":462},"edc55035f2b6","49%","reduction in functional illiteracy",{"_key":464,"_type":456,"stat":465,"title":466},"24c5ddc3c66e","47%","increase in 16+ readers",{"_type":468,"alt":469,"asset":470},"image","carlton academy trust logo",{"_ref":471,"_type":19},"image-721cbf4cf0a184b07db3044a258fc72f665d62e7-1068x802-png","Transforming reading outcomes across a Multi-Academy Trust "]