Anne Visited Oaktree School and then Spoke in Parliament About What She Saw

19 May 2008 Anne Snelgrove (South Swindon) (Lab): The excellent reading recovery scheme at Oaktree primary school in Swindon is achieving remarkable results with young people, particularly Kerry, Charlene and Dylan, whom I heard read the other day; they were excellent readers. Would my right hon. Friend congratulate Celia Messenger, the tutor in charge of reading recovery? Will he consider visiting the scheme? Is the success of Swindon’s scheme replicated throughout the country?

The Minister for Children, Young People and Families (Beverley Hughes): I certainly welcome the opportunity to congratulate Celia Messenger and her colleagues. I 
can also categorically say to my hon. Friend that the success in Swindon has been matched nationally by an exceptional programme that has an improvement rate of 80 per cent. over 21 months, which is four times the normal age rate. That is why we are moving from pilots to a national programme with an investment of £144 million. I am sure that one of the team will be happy to visit Swindon as soon as we can.