Halving the number of pupils who are behind in reading

A robust, replicable and scalable model for halving the number of pupils who are behind in reading in Year 3 onwards.

Project timeline

2019

Launch Apex Project

Long term adaptive learning project to address the ‘Apex’ issue in education – the failure of around 150,000 pupils in England each year to be adequately literate on entry to Key Stage 2.

  • Two decades of work reveals a root cause of underperformance of the UK schools' sector with a huge cost-of-poor quality in both social and economic terms.
  • Analysis shows extreme concentration of early literacy failure in disadvantaged pupils.
  • Begin a systematic process of improvement in ten Apex schools.
  • Data shows that the rate of early literacy failure can be hugely reduced in some schools in deprived areas.
  • Supported by the Fischer Family Foundation and working with Success for All UK.
2020

First tutoring and eyesight pilot

Piloting a cost-effective, high-quality reading programme for struggling readers in Years 1 and 2 and Thomson vision screening programme.

  • Start digitally-assisted early literacy tutoring in Years 1 and 2 using Tutoring with Alphie: a programme developed by academics at Johns Hopkins university and the Success for All Foundation USA.
  • 155 children in 9 schools tutored with 1:4 blended, reading tutoring programme in years 1 and 2. Download the full evaluation report.
  • Two schools conduct vision screening. 22 out of 78 children screened required follow up with an optician.
2021

Merge Success for All and FFT Education

Powering a new literacy programme for phonics, tutoring and literacy success.

  • Rapidly anglicise a newer online programme, FFT Tutoring with the Lightning Squad, in order to reach to 60,000 pupils as part of the National Tutoring Programme.
  • Development of online data tools allowing for tracking and assessment of pupils’ and cohorts’ reading skills.
  • Work with Apex schools so all children who would benefit from the reading programme in years 1 and 2 are doing so, and start a longitudinal overview of pupil cohorts.
2022

Continue to develop adaptive longitudinal learning project with core schools

Link Apex project learning to FFT product development that is adapted to the specific needs of struggling readers.

  • Continue longitudinal tracking of tutored pupils and eyesight-tested pupils.
  • Develop content to focus on engagement and vocabulary requirement of struggling readers in Year 1 and 2.
  • Support development of the FFT Reading Assessment Programme which starts to benchmark Oral Reading Fluency and phonics and word decoding in English schools.
  • Regular sharing of learning on eyesight screening with DfE.
2023

Eyesight screening

Within our project, over 2,600 primary school children have now been screened.

  • 20% were picked up by the vision screen and recommended for full eye tests at local opticians.
  • 63% seen by an optician required an intervention.
  • 8-9% need glasses but do not currently have them, a further 2-3% need a change of prescription and 1-2% have other vision issues.
  • Vision deficiencies were found across all primary year groups (including those who may have had LA Reception screen when they were younger).
2024

Outcomes of five-school longitudinal pilot

Launch of case study: halving the number of pupils who are behind in Reading by Year 3.

  • 388 pupils (48% disadvantaged) tracked during Years 1 and 2 at five schools.
  • 176 supported with the FFT Reading catch-up programme for struggling readers and 65% of these are at the expected standard in reading by the end of Year 2.
  • Whole cohort is 81% at the expected standard in Reading by end of Year 2 (national average for similar schools 60%).
  • 95% pass Phonics Check (national average for similar schools 85%).
  • Disadvantage gap to 4% end Year 2 (19% nationally).
2025+

Replicate and systematic improvement

  • Seeking replication of results
  • Dissemination
  • Investigation of similarly effective school systems: research into effective schools in deprived areas
Project approach

Project team

Image

Mike Fischer

Project Director, Chair of the Fischer Foundation and Founder and Director of the Fischer Family Trust

The Apex Project is the vision of Mike Fischer. Mike leads the project day-to-day, interacting with school leaders and staying at the coalface of education where he likes being the most!
Eliza Hilton

Eliza Hilton

Head of Education Programme

Eliza Hilton leads the Education programme at the Fischer Family Foundation and manages all the programme investments and funding. She enjoys representing the Apex project to different stakeholders and developing and supporting our partnership with FFT Education
Louise Parkinson

Louise Parkinson

Apex Project Manager

Louise Parkinson does all the day-to-day management of the Apex project including detailed work with schools on the longitudinal tracking of pupils' reading abilities. Louise loves building strong partnerships with schools and contributing to their inspiring work on early literacy.

Get in touch

The Foundation welcomes all questions from the public, press and policymakers.
Contact us

Key Information

Details of the Foundation can be seen at the Charity Commission website.