Literacy Club: St. Fergus’ Primary School, the Robertson Trust and Kieran Gemmel

Kieran Gemmel, BA3 Primary Education student at the University of Strathclyde, worked in partnership with St Fergus’ Primary School and The Robertson Trust to set up and run a literacy club from December 2015 to February 2016. The project was fully funded by the Trust because Kieran won the Trust’s Scholarship 2015 Self-Development Award. 

The project aimed to foster positive attitudes towards literacy, create a positive literacy environment and encourage book ownership amongst the children.  It was aimed at primary two children but due to its popularity it was extended to children in primaries one and three. Kieran read and discussed picture books with pupils and at the end of each session all children were given a copy of the books to keep and take home.  

The club was a huge success. Feedback from school staff was overwhelmingly positive. The Deputy Head stated that it was ‘An amazing initiative with a real impact on the children’. One child stated, ‘I love the Pigeon and writing about him’. Parents commended the club saying that it was a great initiative and made their children excited about reading and, in some cases, writing. During some sessions children would quote from books they’d read in previous weeks and they enjoyed discussing them with their peers. During one session children said they would like the opportunity to create their own stories and drawings. In response to this Kieran changed the sessions to accommodate this request.  The children created their own drawings and text about the stories that had been read to them. Giving children the ownership of the club and allowing them to change the way it worked proved hugely beneficial.  The children began to call it their club and always came to the sessions excited, motivated and ready to explore new stories. 

The club not only had an impact on the children and the school staff school, but on Kieran’s professional development too. One member of staff asked for a list of the picture books so that she could use them with her own Primary one class.  Kieran recognises that he has developed his own skills through the project.  He recognises flexibility and adaptability are key areas he specifically developed.  He had to adapt quickly to changes in the club, such as an increase in the number of children joining the club and ensuring he included children with a range of Additional Support Needs joining the sessions. In terms of flexibility Kieran had to be able to work around his other commitments while ensuring he could carry out the project. Kieran also learned never to give up; it took him months of planning to find the right venue and a group to work with. In the end, though, he reckons that it was worth it to see the children gain a positive experience from taking part in the club.  

Kieran says, ‘The project and the award allowed me to make a real difference to an area of extreme disadvantage. It allowed me to foster positive attitudes towards literacy and begin to create readers and writers.  Most importantly it allowed me to create a community of children that were interested in and enticed by the world of literacy’.