This blog is part of a short series showcasing a few of the current regional partnerships within our Research Schools Network. As part of the EEF’s regional strategy, we form partnerships to help identify and address specific challenges facing settings in different areas. By working together with education settings and local system leaders, such as local authorities and multi-academy-trusts over a two-year period, we identify priorities, co-construct solutions, and engage with research evidence to try to tackle these real-life education challenges.
While many pupils can decode words and read fluently, truly understanding meaning, especially in complex, subject-specific texts, often remains out of reach for many.
This is the challenge being addressed by the ‘Deepening Reading’ partnership, a collaboration between the EEF, London South Research School, the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education (SDBE), and the SDBE Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Together, the partnership is supporting 30 schools across the region to embed disciplinary literacy approaches, so that pupils can read, think, and learn more effectively across all subjects.
Why disciplinary literacy?
During the exploration phase, it became clear that while schools had seen progress in phonics and general reading outcomes, this hadn’t consistently translated into improved performance in subjects such as science and humanities. Many pupils struggled with the dense texts, subject-specific vocabulary, and unfamiliar structures these subjects demand – challenges that become more pronounced in secondary school.
Disciplinary literacy addresses this gap by equipping pupils with the skills to navigate the distinct language and thinking of each subject. In history, for example, this might involve interpreting sources and evaluating bias.
This approach became the central focus of the partnership- aimed at helping pupils access and engage with the language of each discipline more effectively.
The journey so far
In the first year of the partnership, we focused on laying strong foundations. London South Research School, with support from Greenshaw Research School, led a blended programme of evidence-informed professional development. School leaders explored key disciplinary literacy concepts, including:
- Morphology and etymology to unlock word meaning
- Mapping Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary across the curriculum
- Strategic reading approaches
- Designing and delivering effective CPD in schools
Literacy leads then cascaded this training to staff in their own schools.
However, sustainable change takes more than strong CPD. That’s why the partnership has also focused on building leadership capacity and establishing support networks. Hub leaders are working with clusters of schools to drive the work locally, while subject leader networks provide spaces for collaboration and peer support.
As Luigi Leccacorvi, Deputy CEO & Director of Standards at SDBE MAT shared:
Early signs of promise
Although the partnership is only halfway through its two-year journey, the early signs are encouraging.
As Gwynn Bassan, Education Advisor for the SDBE observed:
Leaders are planning more intentionally, and there’s a growing understanding of how reading supports subject learning. Vocabulary mapping across units is becoming embedded, making literacy a more explicit gateway to deeper subject understanding.
As David Windle, Director of London South Research School, notes:
Bringing disciplinary literacy to life in the classroom
With consistent approaches to vocabulary instruction and whole-class reading now in place, the second year will focus on curriculum implementation. Schools will begin embedding disciplinary reading lessons into Key Stage 2 science, history, and geography.
These lessons will help pupils learn how to ‘read like a geographer’, ‘read like a scientist’, or ‘read like a historian’ – evaluating evidence, identifying argument structures, and mastering subject-specific vocabulary. By summer 2026, every unit in these subjects will include specific lessons on reading within the discipline.
Final reflections
For other school leaders considering their literacy strategy, this partnership offers useful insights, particularly around the importance of aligning literacy work with subject teaching. It also raises important questions:
- Do we have the networks and leadership structures needed to support lasting change?
- Are we explicitly teaching pupils how to read, write, and speak in ways that reflect the unique demands of each subject?
As this partnership progresses, key learnings will be shared across the wider Research School Network, helping more schools to adopt evidence-informed approaches to disciplinary literacy.
Further Reading and Resources
- EEF Improving Literacy in Key Stage 2 Guidance Report
- EEF Improving Literacy in Secondary Schools Guidance Report
- EEF Implementation Guidance Report
- Oxford Language Report (2023 – 24)
- Shanahan & Shanahan (2012): Disciplinary Literacy: Rethinking Content-Area Reading