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Further support and CLPL sessions

Our Reading Schools team runs fully-funded training sessions and e-learning modules for teachers and learning professionals to help guide you through your Reading Schools journey. At the moment all our training is taking place online through Microsoft Teams and on our Reading Schools website.

Your Reading Schools journey – CLPL online events and e-learning

We are excited to launch a new learning format for professionals wishing to participate in the Reading Schools programme.

In place of some of our live CLPL sessions, we have now created two self-directed e-learning modules containing curated elements to help give programme participants the relevant knowledge to commence and achieve their Reading Schools accreditation. Learning professionals can work through the learning outcomes at a time, place and pace that best suits them and will each receive an e-certificate on completion of the modules.

We recommend you take advantage of the following opportunities if you are just starting with Reading Schools, or join at the appropriate place in your journey.

E-learning Module 1: Introduction to Reading Schools

Module 1 offers an Introduction to Reading Schools, covering such areas as framework familiarity, website navigation and application creation.

There are three learning outcomes, with a total completion time of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Module 1: Introduction to Reading Schools

We also have recordings of previous CLPL sessions that you might find useful to watch and hear insights from guest speakers. Below is a link to our Introduction to Reading Schools and Reading Schools: as it happens sessions, delivered in August and September 2023:

Introduction to Reading Schools webinar recording

Reading Schools: as it happens webinar recording

E-learning Module 2: Gathering and submitting your evidence

Module 2 focusses on Gathering and submitting your evidence, covering the different types of evidence required for accreditation, programme expectations and tips to help participants successfully evidence their Reading Schools activities.

There are three learning outcomes, with a total completion time of 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Module 2: Gathering and submitting your evidence

Shared practice events and online support sessions

Hear from colleagues in Reading Schools across Scotland at our online showcase webinars.

Staff as readers

This session has already taken place. Recordings of our guest speaker presentations, together with the presentation slides, will be made available soon

We will be joined by Dr Jennifer Farrar, award-winning author Brian Conaghan and South Ayrshire school librarian Sarah Keirs for this shared practice showcase.

Dr Farrar is a senior lecturer at the University of Glasgow and specialist in children’s literature and literacies. Brian Conaghan is a former teacher, author, and a current Reading Schools ambassador. Sarah Keirs is a school librarian, based at Marr College in South Ayrshire.

In this research-informed session, we will share practical ideas and inspiration on how you and the wider learning community can be reading role models. We will explain how through this you normalise reading for pleasure as an activity for everyone and help support development of a reading culture in your setting. This supports Key Area 1.2.3 - Staff being seen as readers themselves - of the Reading Schools Framework.

Reading Schools Shared Practice Event – Engaging families

This session has already taken place, but you can watch the recording and access the slides here.

Join us for an online shared practice showcase with presentations from learning professionals taking part in Reading Schools. Through sharing practical ideas and inspiration on how to effectively involve families in your schools’ reading culture, we will detail how family engagement underpins several key areas of the Reading Schools Framework including 2.5.1 (Family Learning).

This event is a great opportunity for schools at any stage of their Reading Schools journey to hear from Reading Schools who have been granted accreditation, as they discuss their learning, successes and challenges. There will be opportunities to share practice together, speak to others across the country about their experiences, ask the team questions, and come away inspired and enthused about Reading Schools.

This webinar is aimed staff in education settings in Scotland. The session will be held on Microsoft Teams, with joining details sent in advance.

Celebrating your reading achievements

This session has already taken place, but you can watch the recording and access the slides here.

An important part of building a reading culture in your school is recognising and celebrating the reading achievements of your whole setting as well as all learners. In doing so, reading and the sharing of texts is normalised while generating a real buzz of excitement, ensuring that reading for pleasure is visibly promoted and valued. However, it can be difficult to know how to celebrate the reading achievements.

Join our webinar focusing on practical and inspiring ways to celebrate your reading achievements, which can be easily integrated in your setting, whether that be holding regular reading for pleasure assemblies; making announcements through local and social media; or celebrating reading with an author event. The session will look at ways to celebrate your reading culture as a whole-school and including your local community. There will also be the opportunity to hear from other learning professionals, who will share some of the insights from their achievements and where you can take your reading journey next.

Inspiring and Sustaining Reading for Pleasure

Shared Practice – Inspiring and Sustaining Reading for Pleasure, Secondaries – Wednesday 26 February 2025, 4pm

Join us for an online shared practice showcase with presentations from learning professionals taking part in Reading Schools. We will also be joined by Dr Charlotte Webber – Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She will share research insights into how we can inspire and sustain reading motivation in adolescence. In this research-informed session, we will then share practical ideas and inspiration on how you and the wider learning community can support teens to read for pleasure through our Reading Schools programme.

School Improvement Planning with Reading Schools

Join Scottish Book Trust to hear more about how Reading Schools can support your school improvement planning.

School Improvement Planning with Reading Schools – Wednesday 12 March 2025, 4.30pm

Start and Spark support sessions

Join us for our new Start and Spark support sessions. These sessions have been designed for schools just starting out on their Reading Schools journey as well as those on their way to accreditation to spark discussion, ideas and solutions to challenges. While each session will have a particular focus, you can bring any questions, queries or concerns to the Start and Spark for discussion.

You will have the opportunity to meet the Reading Schools team, special guests and fellow learning professionals. Dates for our upcoming sessions can be found below:

Start and Spark sessions

Our Start and Spark sessions have been created for both those at the start of their Reading Schools journey who are interested in finding out more and those who’ve begun their journey who are looking for top tips and ideas to spark their imagination.

Watch previous CLPL

You can watch recordings of our past webinars by searching 'Training videos' in the resources section of our website.

CLPL for learning professionals with Scottish Book Trust

Scottish Book Trust offers fully-funded online and in-person training courses for teachers and learning professionals including: Creating inspiring reading environments in your school, Gifting the Bookbug P1 Family Bag and Read, Write, Count bags, Book discovery sessions and more. You can find Scottish Book Trust online training dates for the upcoming school year and information on how to register on our CLPL for learning professionals web page.

Author events:

Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour

The Scottish Friendly Children's Book Tour brings authors, illustrators and a variety of other creative practitioners to schools, libraries and public venues. Check out upcoming authors, tours and dates.

Authors Live

Authors Live is a series of world class children's author and illustrator events brought directly to your classroom, library or home for free, live on the web. There are over 90 live events available to watch on demand from world famous authors, including David Walliams, Cressida Cowell and Julia Donaldson. The on demand library can be filtered by age group, curriculum area and theme so check them out.

Live Literature

Live Literature is a Scotland-wide programme that helps fund and support author events in communities all over the country. Find out everything you need to know about applying for, running and making the most of Live Literature events.