Hollingwood Primary are a two-form entry school in Bradford, with a Resourced Provision for SEMH. They serve a diverse community and have been using The Story Project since September 2024.

What were you looking for?

“Our priority was to find a programme that supported children’s mental wellbeing, covering all statutory PSHE requirements, while also promoting a love of reading. We wanted something that would spark engagement across the whole school but that wouldn’t create extra work for staff.”

The Story Project offered the perfect solution.

Why did you choose The Story Project?

As a school committed to fostering a love of reading, this approach immediately stood out. It puts high-quality stories at the heart of PSHE and provides a fully resourced, structured curriculum covering all statutory requirements.

“We needed something flexible to meet our school’s needs. The lessons are well structured and easy to follow, which has been brilliant for staff. Having everything planned out and resourced has made a big difference to our team.”

What impact have you seen?

Since introducing the programme, there has been a major shift in how children understand and manage their emotions, as well as their enthusiasm for reading.

“The impact on behaviour has been incredible. Children are not only more aware of their emotions but are actively using strategies to manage them. Additionally, the stories have sparked a new level of engagement with books—we see children discussing them long after the lessons have ended.”

What benefits have you seen?

1. Children’s understanding and management of emotions

Children speak more freely and openly about their feelings.

They use a range of self-regulation strategies when becoming heightened.

They have a greater awareness of their emotions and the reasons behind them.

2. Enthusiasm for reading

Children engage more deeply with texts, making meaningful connections between stories and their own lives.

They are developing stronger academic literacy through the programme’s vocabulary development, retrieval practice, and inference questions.

There is greater enthusiasm for reading, with children seeking out books linked to their PSHE learning.

There is stronger reading comprehension, as pupils apply vocabulary and inference skills from PSHE texts across the curriculum.

3. Impact on behaviour

Calmer learning environment.

Increased use of emotional regulation strategies.

Fewer behavioural incidents linked to emotional frustration.

Improved resilience when pupils face challenges.

Increased focus and engagement in lessons.

How does The Story Project support school?

The programme has become integral to Hollingwood’s curriculum, and has contributed to key areas of whole school development, including:

Strengthening the school’s Personal Development and mental health and wellbeing provision.

Supporting the school’s reading-inspired curriculum by embedding high-quality texts in PSHE.

Enhancing oracy skills through meaningful discussions about books and their themes.

Improving academic literacy through explicit teaching of vocabulary, retrieval, and inference skills.

Reducing teacher workload

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