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The Bookstart scheme was evaluated through longitudinal studies
carried out by the University of Birmingham. The final stage
of the Bookstart evaluation by the University of Birmingham,
reported in 2000 (1), took a random sample of 43 Birmingham
pupils who had been given Bookstart packs at nine months and
matched it with a control group and compared their performance
in their Key Stage 1 national tests. The Bookstart children,
on both teacher assessment and test results, performed significantly
better, showing that their earlier advantage when starting
school remained as their primary education continues. The
sample included a higher than national average percentage
of pupils on free school meals (a recognised poverty indicator)
and a range of ethnic groups, which means that the group was
fairly representative of the city.
A study undertaken by the University of Surrey, Roehampton,
published in August 2001 (2), added to previous research evidence
about the effectiveness of the programme. Bookstart babies
were six times more likely to be library members; nearly 50
per cent of Bookstart families credited the programme with
encouraging them to read to their baby more; 60 per cent read
every day. Parents of Bookstart babies were more confident
about reading to their children.
Maggie Moore & Barrie Wade (2003) Educational Review,
vol. 55, no. 1, pp. 3-13
This paper presents qualitative data which represent the
views of professionals engaged in a Bookstart project in one
borough. The role of librarians and nursery staff in modelling
how to share books with children is emphasised, as is the
confidence and improved communication skills that this brought
to parents and other members of the family. The librarians
in this case ran a Cradle Club, where play and literacy activities
were modelled and parents learned to participate. The club
was popular with parents and led to an interest in books and
library membership. Nonetheless, efforts have still to be
made to involve and engage hard-to-reach families, including
travellers and families from ethnic minorities. For example,
some families received the Bookstart pack but did not want
to spoil it by giving it to their baby. In this case the health
visitors may need to give special support. There is also a
need for greater awareness of the needs of parents whose first
language is not English; bilingual nursery nurses may help
here, as may an audio tape of guidance on how to use the pack
given in the relevant language.
This study is in contrast to almost all the research conducted
on Bookstart over the last ten years, which has been quantitative
in nature. This research is contextualised and reviewed in
the early sections of the paper. The later sections detail
interviews held with librarians, health visitors, nursery
staff and the Bookstart project coordinator. It shows how
both qualitative evidence and quantitative data point to the
effectiveness of Bookstart as an intervention strategy to
facilitate literacy learning in the early years.
References:
(1) B. Wade and M. Moore (2000) A Sure Start with Books.
Early Years, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 39-46
(2) National Centre for Research in Children's Literature,
University of Surrey, Roehampton (2001) Evaluation of the
Bookstart Programme, London: Booktrust
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