50 signatures reached
To: Head of School and Head of English at The Stanway School
Bring Back the Joy of Reading: Replace Sparx Reader at The Stanway School
Trial alternative methods for pupils to return to a love of reading, not just 'completing' books like tasks.
Why is this important?
Do you find yourself ‘fighting’ with your child to get their Sparx Reader homework done? Are you seeing a child who used to love stories now viewing reading as a stressful chore? You are not alone.
As parents, we know that the journey to becoming a reader isn't always easy. For my own daughter, now 11, it took years of careful, dedicated work from her primary teachers and us as parents to help her find the 'spark.' We spent countless nights finding the right books and building her confidence until she finally saw reading as something enjoyable.
Tragically, since starting Sparx Reader at secondary school, that progress has been undone.
At just 11 years old, she now refuses to read, telling me: 'There’s nothing fun about it anymore.' When reading is reduced to micro-quizzes, algorithm-driven targets, and the constant fear of 'red flags' or missing a weekly goal, the magic of the story is lost. It has become a task of compliance rather than a moment of discovery.
We are calling for a change.
While we support the school’s goal of high literacy, the current app-based model is turning our children off books at the very age they should be falling in love with them. The research from the OECD (PISA) and the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) proves that 'reading for pleasure' is the greatest predictor of success—yet this system is making reading a source of anxiety.
By signing this petition, we ask leadership at The Stanway School to:
1. Acknowledge the negative impact Sparx Reader is having on student engagement and parental stress.
2. Trial research-backed, non-app alternatives (such as Reading Passports or teacher-led 'Book Talks') that prioritize the experience of reading over data points.
3. Protect the progress made in primary school by fostering a culture where books are enjoyed, not just 'completed.'
Let’s work with the school to ensure our children leave Stanway as confident, lifelong readers—not just students who know how to pass a digital quiz.
Sign today to help us bring the joy back to reading.
As parents, we know that the journey to becoming a reader isn't always easy. For my own daughter, now 11, it took years of careful, dedicated work from her primary teachers and us as parents to help her find the 'spark.' We spent countless nights finding the right books and building her confidence until she finally saw reading as something enjoyable.
Tragically, since starting Sparx Reader at secondary school, that progress has been undone.
At just 11 years old, she now refuses to read, telling me: 'There’s nothing fun about it anymore.' When reading is reduced to micro-quizzes, algorithm-driven targets, and the constant fear of 'red flags' or missing a weekly goal, the magic of the story is lost. It has become a task of compliance rather than a moment of discovery.
We are calling for a change.
While we support the school’s goal of high literacy, the current app-based model is turning our children off books at the very age they should be falling in love with them. The research from the OECD (PISA) and the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) proves that 'reading for pleasure' is the greatest predictor of success—yet this system is making reading a source of anxiety.
By signing this petition, we ask leadership at The Stanway School to:
1. Acknowledge the negative impact Sparx Reader is having on student engagement and parental stress.
2. Trial research-backed, non-app alternatives (such as Reading Passports or teacher-led 'Book Talks') that prioritize the experience of reading over data points.
3. Protect the progress made in primary school by fostering a culture where books are enjoyed, not just 'completed.'
Let’s work with the school to ensure our children leave Stanway as confident, lifelong readers—not just students who know how to pass a digital quiz.
Sign today to help us bring the joy back to reading.
