The Essex Year of Reading was a £1 million, countywide campaign launched in 2022 by Essex County Council. It aimed to help every child in Essex to become a confident reader and leave school able to read at their age level or better. Essex County Council proudly hosted the National Literacy Trust last month as part of their commitment to upskilling education professionals.
The conference brought together over 170 professionals from across the education sector. Attendees heard from keynote speakers such as Scottish children’s author, Elle McNicoll about the collaborative approach to publishing and how this is driving better representation and authenticity in children’s literature. Government Advisor and Pupil Premium expert Marc Rowland also attended to present the Essex Disadvantage Strategy.
Clare Kershaw, Director of Education at Essex County Council said ‘the National Literacy Trust and Essex Year of Reading recognise the importance of literacy as a golden thread for young people and their outcomes. Here in Essex, we champion children to get the best start in life. Whether that’s through the Essex Disadvantage Strategy as presented by Mark Rowland at the conference, our comprehensive inclusion strategy that supports children no matter their background to reach their full potential, or our model for collaboration, both across council services and with external partners. Essex County Council is a champion for children.’
The National Literacy Trust is a charity that aims to empower people with the literacy skills they need to succeed in life.
Martin Galway, Head of School Programmes at the National Literacy Trust, said:
‘As Essex County Council continue to champion literacy as a driver of social mobility and positive life outcomes, we are very grateful that they offered to host National Literacy Trust’s first in person primary school conference Better Together: Raising achievement through a collaborative approach to literacy in the council chambers at Essex County Hall The conference provided an opportunity, both in form and content, to demonstrate that positive and reciprocal relationships, within and across schools, libraries and communities, that are the driving force of improved literacy and life outcomes.’
Essex County Council is continuing to support schools and students with the Essex Year of Numbers. Essex Year of Numbers is a countywide campaign that aims to inspire a love of learning, with a focus on numeracy. It is a year of exciting learning opportunities, fun events and initiatives aimed at children aged 0 to 18-years-old. The events aim to give every child’s maths skills a magic boost. For more information about the Essex Year of Numbers, visit www.essexyearofnumbers.co.uk
