Bold new literacy project puts Sunderland stories at the heart of learning
Roots to Writing - Sunmoor Academy
With support from SHINE, Southmoor Academy is launching an ambitious new project designed to enhance student literacy by connecting writing skills to the students’ own experiences of life in Sunderland.
By focusing on local stories and themes, the ‘Roots to Writing’ initiative aims to build both enjoyment and confidence in writing, helping to bridge the literacy gap that affects students’ academic success.
The project, led by Southmoor Assistant Head Joanna Armstrong, has received nearly £165,000 in funding from SHINE as part of the 10-year SHINE Sunderland initiative, which is investing £11 million into the city’s secondary schools
It is well documented that children in the North East show strong literacy performance at the end of primary school, but this progress does not always continue into secondary education.
Students in Sunderland often enter secondary school with SATs results in line with or above national averages, yet struggle with ‘functional’ everyday literacy skills.
This gap in writing ability tends to persist throughout their school years and directly impacts GCSE performance, especially in the writing sections of English exams, where results often fall behind national averages.
‘Roots to Writing’ starts with a newly developed diagnostic assessment to pinpoint specific writing challenges, including motor skills, punctuation, and essay structure.
Using this data, the project will create bespoke resources grounded in students’ local experiences.
Sammy Wright, Head of School at Southmoor, said: “Roots to Writing is a coherently planned intervention to improve writing that will be pegged to local sources and stories, so that children engage more with what they are writing.
“Our goal is to develop a comprehensive bank of writing resources that are all about Sunderland, providing model texts that fit in with approaches that are used at Key Stage 2 (the second stage of primary education).
“If the students see their own experiences reflected in the material, they become more engaged, making writing feel personally meaningful and relevant to them.
“Additionally, these resources will be mapped to GCSE assessment objectives, ensuring continuity and clear developmental pathways for students.”
The project is inspired by the success of another innovative SHINE-backed literacy programme, Fluency for All, which Southmoor Academy is already a part of. This new initiative is designed to complement and build on the foundations laid by the reading programme, further enhancing students’ literacy skills.
Sammy explained that the ‘Roots to Writing’ project has two key components: a “hard-nosed, exam-focused” approach that prepares students for success in assessments from years 7 to 9, while also addressing important skills and concepts that may have been missed in year 6. The second, “more idealistic” aspect connects the project to the local area, with the goal of fostering a sense of pride, self-worth, and engagement among students.
“A lot of the research around literacy is very clear that you need to have prior knowledge in order to read and write well,” Sammy explained. “Many approaches focus on providing students with that prior knowledge first, then building on it to improve their skills.
“Our approach is different. We believe students already have valuable prior knowledge they can draw on. By making the content local, we’re not just aiming to make it more interesting for them; we’re helping them understand it more deeply. This connection to their own experiences allows them to grasp key concepts more effectively.”
Sammy gave an example of where ‘Roots to Writing’ will differ from the way writing is currently taught: “In our curriculum, we set ambitious reading goals for students, but what can happen is that, for instance, in year 9, we have students read Jane Eyre, and then they’re asked to write in response to it. But trying to write like Charlotte Brontë can be really difficult. Using that as the writing model adds an extra layer of complexity that can be a barrier for some students.
“In contrast, one of the tasks we have been developing focuses on something more familiar – like the Stadium of Light. By using a local place like the football stadium, we can show clips or videos, and have students read a description of it, which connects directly to their own experiences of being there. This makes the writing task feel more accessible because they’re drawing from a real memory and using something they know well, rather than trying to mimic something distant from their own experience.”
The impact of ‘Roots to Writing’ will be rigorously evaluated through collaboration with Evidence Based Education and Professor Rob Coe. The evaluation framework will track progress through national standard assessments and targeted retesting of student writing skills.
Ultimately, it is hoped the project will improve GCSE English results, especially in writing. It should also help more students meet the required writing standards by the end of Year 9 and show clear progress in areas where students need extra help. It also aims to reduce the usual drop in literacy levels during Year 8.
Additionally, it is hoped the project will help students enjoy writing more, strengthen their connection to the local community, and make the transition from primary to secondary school smoother.
The four-year project will be introduced in phases, with the first full evaluation scheduled for 2026. If successful, ‘Roots to Writing’ will expand to five other Sunderland schools.
As well as creating a bank of locally-rooted resources, and a new diagnostic test, the project will also produce a set of training materials that will allow schools to upskill teachers and potentially teaching assistants, or even volunteer sixth-form students acting as writing mentors.
Asked how he responded to the news of receiving the funding, Sammy said: “It can probably be encapsulated as ‘Yay!’.
“We were really delighted. It was a really exciting moment. Joanna and I are both English teachers, so this is stuff that we want to do anyway, and what SHINE has done is it’s given us space to do it properly.
“Often, initiatives can be rushed and cobbled together, because that’s the nature of schools.
“But because of the SHINE funding, the really exciting thing is that we are able to do it properly from the ground up – plan it fully evaluate it properly and know if it works.”
Joanna added: “Having the time and space to assess what works and what doesn’t for pupils, while also gathering their feedback, is really important.”
‘Roots to Writing’ represents a bold, research-driven response to a longstanding educational challenge. By grounding literacy development in personal and local experiences, Southmoor Academy aims to equip students with the skills and confidence they need to excel in writing. As the project evolves, its impact could extend beyond Sunderland, offering a transformative model for writing education nationwide.
Fiona Spellman, CEO of SHINE, said: “SHINE Sunderland is all about investing in the city’s young people, so Roots to Writing is a perfect fit for our mission. The project doesn’t just build vital literacy skills – it does so by connecting students to their own city, making writing more relevant, engaging, and accessible.
“Given our wider focus on transforming education in Sunderland, we’re excited to see how this initiative helps students grow in confidence and achieve lasting success.”