1. The document discusses literacy levels among prison populations and how low literacy contributes to social injustice and inequality of opportunity. It notes that 47% of prisoners lack qualifications and 90% were excluded from school. 2. Excellent schools that achieved sustained academic success invested heavily in teacher professional development, had teachers collaborating and mentoring each other, and valued the important role of librarians and literacy. 3. The solution to high rates of illiteracy that contribute to incarceration is to make libraries a priority in schools, get librarians more involved, direct funding to early education and reading programs, and ensure literary events are accessible to disadvantaged communities.

1. The School Library Association
20 June 2014
Niall McWilliams
The Most Important Room in
the School and Social Justice

2. Library Design of the Year Award 2013

3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s

4. The Shawshank Redemption

5. The Hogwarts Library from
every Harry Potter Movie

6. Star Wars Episode II:
The Attack of the Clones

7. “The Beast’s Library” from
Beauty and the Beast

8. The Carterton Story

11. Lots of Numbers
What’s the significance of these numbers
I’m sure you know, but if not have a guess!
1. 47% of 83,000
(prisoners with no qualifications)
… what does that say about literacy
levels?
2. 90% of 83,000
(prisoners have been excluded from
school)
… what does that say about our schools,
equal opportunities and social justice?

12. Lots of Numbers
3. 80% of 83,000
(have been on benefits)
4. Highest 1% = Lowest 1%
(Highest rates of deprivation in schools
very often relate to the lowest rates of
academic achievement)
White, low income families living in Britain have
the lowest academic attainment in Europe.

13. Quote from Neil Gaiman
“I was once in New York, and I listened to a talk
about the building of private prisons – a huge
growth industry in America. The prison industry
need to plan its future growth – how many cells are
they going to need? How many prisoners are there
going to be, 15 years from now?
….. How did they work out the answer?
“very easily using a simple algorithm, based on
asking what percentage of 10 and 11 year olds
couldn’t read. And certainly couldn’t read for
pleasure”.

14. Whole School Literacy
Whole
School
Practice
Literacy
Hubs
Literacy
Interventions
Library
Tutor
Time
Classroom
Practice

15. Excellent Schools
• Based on 5 years worth of evidence
in relation to visiting schools across
the country
• Excellent school defined as one that
has achieved sustainable success ie
over 75% + 5A*-C with English and
Maths, expected levels of progress
for English and Maths over 80% for
at least 3 years

16. Main Findings
• Excellent schools invested very heavily in
professional learning. They encouraged staff
to take risks and be reflective
• Excellent schools interested in training for
mentors and coaches across their schools
• Teachers/staff planning together and talking
about teaching was a main focus in excellent
schools
• Performance Management/Appraisal was
used to ensure staff could rigorously reflect on
their work

17. Main Findings /continued
• Leaders were more aware of the
importance of modelling learning in
excellent schools
• Excellent schools were more likely to
work extremely hard at including parents
• Excellent schools valued the work of the
Librarians and saw them as key staff in
relation to raising standards

18. What’s the solution …… get the
children reading for pleasure !!
• Part of the solution has to be
making sure that the Library is
the most important room in the
school and that Librarians are
high profile and not just confined
to the Library

19. What’s the solution / continued
• Pupil Premium money needs to go to
early years education with the
significant proportion of this funding
used to support reading
• Literary fairs and Book fairs need to
be seen in areas of deprivation not
just areas of affluence.

20. Thank you