Reading Schools in rural areas

Small and rural schools will naturally look a little different from large urban establishments in their approach to Reading Schools, and our accreditation process is flexible to your individual approach. We already have registered and accredited Reading Schools from all over Scotland, from some of the tiniest rural settings to the largest urban schools in the country, and we know that our programme provides a clear Framework which can adapt to suit you!

This article aims to highlight some of the unique and innovative ways that schools in rural areas and those with smaller rolls can achieve and enjoy being Reading Schools, to  inspire your own journey. Remember, you can always contact us or your local regional outreach co-ordinator(this will open in a new window) to discuss this further.

At the start of becoming a Reading School, you will create an Action Plan which reflects the reading environment your school is creating. This is designed to be flexible, with the opportunity to create custom actions in line with each Key Area ethos to better match your individual setting. These custom actions will be reviewed and approved by our team when you submit.

When you submit your Evidence Plan, our accrediting team will already be aware of your pupil numbers and staffing in their approach to reading your evidence. In your Comments you can also add context on your local area to help us further understand your school, if you feel this is relevant to be considered when reading your actions.

What our small and rural Reading Schools tell us:

• Working with another school in a similar situation is particularly effective for meeting the staff development (1.2.4) and knowledge (1.2.5) key areas.
• Pairing with other small schools to set up staff or pupil book groups can be a great way to share book recommendations and opens out possibilities for children to find more like-minded readers. Make this more exciting with pen pal projects or by using video, Teams or Google Classroom.
• Opportunities for informal book chat across age groups often happen more naturally in smaller schools with paired reading already a regular classroom activity throughout your day.
• Access to library services may be limited to families but creating book swaps, or small lending libraries in the school foyer, can help families access a wider range of books. Rotating books with other schools can add to the range. Promoting other library services like mobile libraries, ‘Libby’ and ‘Borrowbox’ can be a good reminder of all that is available. 
• In a two-class school, using class novels on the same theme but at different levels can help to create fabulous whole-school cross-curricular projects. 
• Using local stories and histories for a book project can be quickly supported by local community. One school found locals who had attended as children and gathered tales of their favourite books from school – the adults were aged between 20 and 90! 
• There are many writers, storytellers and illustrators living and working in Scotland’s rural communities. They may be more accessible than you think! Use our Author Directory(this will open in a new window) to find local authors. Schools can access funding for events through Live Literature opportunities(this will open in a new window). 
• Authors Live(this will open in a new window) can be a great way to bring world-famous authors into the classroom. Some small schools get together to watch, in person or online. Sometimes families are invited into school to join in the fun, which is especially hilarious for the draw-alongs!
• Rural schools often have access to great outdoor spaces for reading in the sunshine, storytelling sessions as part of outdoor learning, or exploring a theme from a novel in a new (muddier) way. Boxes of books can be ready to pull outside for when the rain stops!
• If you are a remote school that is trying to build community connections and projects, remember that projects don’t have to be huge to be meaningful. You might simply have a book lending box in a community location, ask a local farmer to read to P1-4, explore recipes with a social club or encourage book reviews in a local bus shelter. Tap into the ways that your community already gathers or shares events and use the ‘many hats’ of your neighbours.
• Theming book displays around local interest or parents' occupations can be a brilliant way to make books relevant to children and their place in their community. Inviting parents and carers to talk about their work and explore the books can be part of a family engagement day. 
• Community Council and Windfarm funding has been accessed by some of our rural schools for reading dens, new library stock or community projects. Investigate local funding opportunities available in your community, and explore other funding ideas(this will open in a new window) on our website. 
• Some schools have found that because they only have a few staff members, gathering and uploading evidence can feel like a big job. Make this easier by inviting more than one staff member to have access to your evidence plan(this will open in a new window) and making sure you upload activities as you go.
• With a small staff, involving pupils in gathering quotes or taking pictures for you can take the pressure off and is an important part of their role as reading ambassadors for their peers and community.
• Many regions in Scotland also have access to a Scottish Book Trust Regional Outreach Co-ordinator (ROC), who can offer bespoke in-person or online training, answer questions, and support you as you work through your chosen actions. You can find your local ROC on our Contact us page.

We hope you feel ready to get started with your Reading Schools journey in your small or rural school, and explore some of the fantastic impact that a reading culture as a part of our national community can have for you. 

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss the Reading Schools Framework for your particular setting with the team.

Contact us

Related resources:

• Discover more Reading Schools activity in our regular ExemplaRS and check out ExempaRS Special Edition (Primary): Rural
• Use the Reading Schools Map to check which schools in your area are already registered
• Hear from Firth Primary School's Emma Jane Rendall and Lucy Clements sharing their rural island school's experience of achieving Core accreditation.