Unlocking Reading Blog
FFT’s Education Literacy Adviser shares her experience of delivering the training.
Unlocking Reading: A Breath of Fresh Air for Schools
By Janet Adsett
About Janet
Over the past few months, myself and several colleagues in FFT's training team have had the privilege of travelling across the country to deliver face-to-face training for Unlocking Reading, a programme commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE) to support secondary schools in meeting the needs of pupils who struggle with reading.
At each location, we’ve brought together senior leaders, reading leads and colleagues tasked with leading reading improvement in their schools for a three-hour introduction to the free programme.
What we’ve experienced along the way has been both encouraging and energising.
A Challenge We Anticipated
We knew from the outset that engagement might be a challenge. Schools are busier than ever and inundated with training opportunities, initiatives and new expectations. With this year being described as the National Year of Reading, it would have been understandable if schools felt overwhelmed.
Yet the response has been phenomenal.
Not only have colleagues been willing to give up valuable time to attend the sessions, but once in the room the engagement has been remarkable. Participants consistently describe Unlocking Reading as a “breath of fresh air”: a clearly structured programme; with practical resources that are accessible, purposeful and designed to support effective implementation.
From Research to Practice
The Unlocking Reading programme, free to state-funded secondary schools, consists of ten one-hour modules supported by a comprehensive suite of training materials and resources available through an online portal. The aim is simple but powerful: to support teachers and leaders to translate research into classroom practice.
During the three-hour introductory sessions, participants hear directly from a few members of the team at FFT, who have designed and developed the programme alongside researchers and a network of schools involved in its development.
The sessions provide an opportunity to explore:
- the research and science of reading that underpin the programme
- how schools can identify pupils’ reading needs through effective assessment
- the importance of using reliable and valid measures to pinpoint the components of reading that require support
- how to locate and evaluate evidence-based interventions that can make a real difference for struggling readers
- a sample of the practical strategies from the programme
Just as importantly, participants leave knowing exactly where to find these resources on the portal and how they can support colleagues across their school to access them.
Three Principles at the Heart of Unlocking Reading
- Evidence-informed practice
The programme is firmly rooted in research and evidence. Schools are supported not only to access evidence-based strategies, but also to think critically about the reliability and validity of the assessments, practices and interventions they use. - A whole-school approach
Reading support cannot sit in isolation. Targeted interventions are important, but they are not enough on their own. For pupils who struggle with reading, the greatest impact comes when targeted support flows into everyday classroom practice and is reinforced across departments and throughout the wider school system. - Strategic and sustained implementation
Successful change does not happen overnight. Schools are encouraged to think strategically about implementation, evaluation and sustainability, ensuring that reading improvement becomes embedded over time rather than remaining a short-term initiative.
Starting the Strategic Journey
The final part of each session invites participants to begin this strategic thinking through an Unlocking Reading audit. This tool helps colleagues reflect on their current provision and identify areas for development.
Importantly, the audit isn’t simply a checklist. Instead, it acts as a catalyst for meaningful conversations when participants return to school: conversations about priorities, systems and the practical steps needed to strengthen reading support.
For many attendees, it marks the beginning of a longer journey towards a more coherent and strategic approach to reading.
Collaboration and Commitment
One of the most rewarding aspects of delivering the free training has been seeing colleagues collaborate, particularly when schools attend with more than one member of staff. These moments of shared reflection and discussion often spark the first ideas for how the programme might take shape back in school.
Across every location, the response from participants has been overwhelmingly positive. The enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment to improving outcomes for pupils has been inspiring.
A Privilege to Be Part of the Journey
Being part of a team that has delivered Unlocking Reading across the country has been a genuine privilege. Every conversation with school leaders and teachers reinforces how committed the sector is to ensuring that every young person can access the curriculum through strong reading skills.
If the energy and engagement we’ve seen in these sessions is anything to go by, the DFE-funded programme has the potential to make a real and lasting difference for pupils who need it most.
And we’re excited to see where that journey leads next.
Find out more about Unlocking Reading
State-funded secondary schools in England can register interest and let us know who will be the main contact for Unlocking Reading in your school.
We will contact you with further information to register two delegates in your school for the half-day CPD training (Spring Term 2026) at venues across the country.