A BURLEY-IN-WHARFEDALE primary has been named as one of just 32 schools in England to become an English hub school.

Hub schools will promote a love of reading and support schools across the country to provide excellent phonics and early language teaching.

Literacy specialists within each hub will provide tailored support to schools. It means Burley and Woodhead CE Primary School will take a leading role in supporting schools that struggle to teach children to read by improving the teaching of early language and reading.

The hub schools were chosen by the Department for Education through a competitive process. All 32 have a background of excellent phonics teaching and are distributed to benefit the areas that need it most.

Each hub will identify specialist literacy teachers who will get additional training to act as experts in teaching in early language and reading from reception year to Key Stage 1. The hubs will work with up to 170 local primary schools and will build a network of excellent phonics teaching in every region.

This network of some of the best performing primary schools will work to increase reading standards in schools across the country and improve education outcomes for the most disadvantaged children, particularly in underperforming schools.

Building on the success of phonics, which has contributed to 163,000 more six-year-olds on track being fluent readers than in 2012, the 32 schools will spread best practice and teaching techniques, backed by £26.3 million funding. This will include providing school workshops for teachers and more intensive school-to-school support.

Burley and Woodhead CE Primary School headteacher, Mrs Joanne Siddall, said: “We are delighted to have been recognised for our ability to become the lead school in building a new English Hub. As one of only four English Hub schools across West Yorkshire, we are looking forward to developing a network of teachers who can spread great practice across the area. Leading this initiative will also bring cutting edge reading techniques into Burley and Woodhead CE Primary.”