Emilie Nickerson, age 12, from Wolfreton School and Sixth Form College, has won the national award Best Home Usage (KS3/4) for her commitment to using the online reading development programme Reading Plus outside of school.
The Reading Plus Awards is an annual event organised by Reading Solutions UK, the home of the online reading development programme, Reading Plus, to recognise and celebrate the achievements of pupils, teachers, and schools across the country.
Matilda Gilroy, Learning Mentor at Wolfreton, said: “I nominated Emilie for this award due to her being very conscientious – she is always going above and beyond with what is asked of her on Reading Plus and setting a great example to others. Emilie is a real superstar and should be most proud of herself. She truly deserves the award and all the praise. Well done, Emilie!”
Emilie received a trophy, a certificate, and a £25 Amazon voucher in recognition. She said: “I didn’t know I was nominated; it was definitely a good surprise. I feel very happy to win – I never win anything!”
The school also celebrated the success of another student in the Reading Plus Awards. Rohan Chamberlain, also age 12, was a runner-up for ‘Reading Plus Star of the Year (KS3-KS4)’.
Assistant Headteacher, Gavin Clark, said: “Reading Plus has made a difference to our students’ confidence with reading. The way the programme is set up makes it easy for students to feel a sense of achievement and to understand their progress. I would recommend the programme; students like to use it, and unlike other reading programmes, it provides clarity for staff about student progress, and the data is easy to analyse.”
Lee Carrick, Reading Development Consultant at Reading Solutions UK, said: “While Reading Plus improves students’ reading fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary, it is also designed to be enjoyable for children. It is fantastic to see that Emilie enjoys the programme to the extent that she consistently uses it at home. Rohan was also a worthy runner-up, and we wish both students every success with their reading progression.”
To find out more about Reading Plus, visit www.readingsolutionsuk.co.uk