Exceptional Year-on-Year Reading Progress

Earlier in the year, I wrote an article about the importance of reading... and now, we are absolutely delighted to share the outstanding results from our recent GL Assessment New Group Reading Test (NGRT). This year, our pupils have demonstrated truly exceptional progress in their reading abilities, confirming the strength and effectiveness of the teaching and learning that takes place every day at IPS Cascais.

Understanding Our Success
To understand just how impressive this year’s results are, it is helpful to know how the NGRT scores work. The test provides a Standard Age Score (SAS), which is used across schools both in the UK and internationally to compare a pupil's reading ability to that of thousands of age-matched peers. The average score is 100. If a pupil scores between 90 and 110, they are performing within the typical range for their age group. Pupils at IPS have always scored highly, often averaging scores significantly above national averages.

Now that we have been administering NGRT assessments for multiple years, we can clearly measure the value-added over time. Value-added refers to the progress a pupil makes beyond what would typically be expected over a certain period of time. With standardised tests, such as the NGRT, a pupil’s score would usually remain steady as their peers are also improving at the standard rate. Our goal is to see scores actively increase year-on-year, pushing pupils above that expected standard.

Exceptional Progress in Reading Ability
Pupils who sat the NGRT in successive years, 2024/25 and 2025/26, showed an average improvement of 3.3 points. This is a powerful statistic. It means that, over one single academic year, our reading programme enabled pupils to accelerate their literacy development and gain 3.3 points more than the expected growth for their age group.

Even more impressively, pupils who sat the NGRT in 2023/24 and again in 2025/26 demonstrated an average improvement of a phenomenal 5.0 points. This significant increase shows the sustained impact on the teaching and learning at IPS over two academic years. Our pupils are not just having a good year; they are consistently building on their reading skills, embedding their learning and developing stronger foundational skills for the future.

What This Means for Your Children
A 3.3 or 5-point jump in the NGRT score is a significant achievement that translates directly into better learning outcomes. Reading is the foundation of all academic success across the curriculum in all Key Stages. This level of value-added progress means our pupils have a greater ability to access and understand complex texts across all subjects, including Science, Humanities, and Mathematics. Most importantly, seeing this measurable acceleration builds incredible confidence, creating a continuous cycle where pupils are more willing to tackle challenging material, leading to even greater long-term success.

These results are a powerful testament to the hard work of our pupils and the impact of the targeted reading strategies implemented by our dedicated teaching staff. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and look forward to continuing to foster high-level literacy for all our pupils.

Huge congratulations go to all our pupils and the entire IPS team! 

Written by:
Leo Holdstock
Deputy Head, Teaching and Learning