Last half term, we put the call out for nominations for our 2026 Lexia Awards and we were overwhelmed by the response! Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate and share the inspiring stories happening in your schools.
We’re delighted to share the 2026 Lexia Award winners, recognising outstanding achievement across learners, educators and schools who have demonstrated what consistent, evidence-based literacy support can achieve.
Lexia Learner of the Year
Winner: Kaylah, Y4, Fieldhead Carr Primary
Kaylah’s teacher told us: “She started Lexia in September and has moved through the program at a speed which means she is now functioning at a year group above her actual age – she is now at Y5 L18.
Her progress in reading this year has been truly exceptional. Through consistent dedication both at school and at home, she has not only met but significantly exceeded her expected year-group attainment. She demonstrates a genuine love of reading, approaching books with enthusiasm and curiosity, and regularly “devours” a wide range of texts across genres. Since September, she has read over one million words! A remarkable achievement that reflects her commitment, perseverance and passion for learning.
Her enthusiasm for reading is infectious; she eagerly shares recommendations, discusses authors and themes with confidence, and encourages her peers to challenge themselves. She is a positive role model within the classroom, demonstrating independence, resilience, and a deep appreciation for literature. Her dedication and love of reading make her an aspirational example to others, and she is thoroughly deserving of recognition for her outstanding achievement and commitment to reading.”
Runner Up: Talal, Y9, Kingsford Community School
Talal’s teacher told us: “Talal joined the school as a new arrival from South Sudan. At the point of entry, he had no prior knowledge of English and was starting to acquire the language from scratch, as he was only able to communicate in Arabic on arrival.
Since starting Lexia, Talal has made strong and sustained progress. To date, he has completed a total of 45 hours and 33 minutes of supervised and independent practice and successfully finished 565 learning units. He is currently working at Level 9, demonstrating increasing confidence and competence in phonics, vocabulary, and reading comprehension skills. This level of engagement and progression reflects consistent effort and steady development in his early English literacy.
Talal stands out for his strong commitment and resilience, demonstrating consistent engagement and steady progress despite starting with no prior knowledge of English. He now demonstrates sufficient confidence and language proficiency to support other Arabic-speaking learners with limited English and is keen to take on this supportive role.”
Lexia Resilience Award
Winner: Pearse, P6, St Colmcille’s PS
Pearse’s teacher told us: “At the outset, Pearse found Lexia very challenging and did not enjoy using the programme. He often became upset and frustrated when he made mistakes and struggled with the expectation that adults could not simply provide him with answers.
Pearse began Lexia in September 2024, placing at Level 8, indicating significant gaps in early reading and language skills. At this stage, Pearse required frequent encouragement, repetition and adult support to engage with literacy tasks and often found learning challenging.
What makes Pearse stand out is the way he has persevered through these difficulties. With consistent support and encouragement, he learned to manage frustration, accept feedback and persist with tasks even when they felt difficult. Motivation through the Lexia success features, such as certificates and visible progress, played a key role in helping Pearse to develop confidence and a sense of achievement.
Over time, Pearse’s attitude towards Lexia has transformed. He now actively seeks out Lexia sessions, engages positively with tasks and demonstrates significantly increased independence. Most notably, he has chosen to continue his learning by completing Lexia tasks at home, reflecting a genuine shift in motivation and self‑belief.
Given his additional needs, this level of perseverance, independence and commitment is particularly significant. Pearse’s journey with Lexia is a clear example of resilience – overcoming learning barriers to make meaningful and sustained progress.”
Runner Up: Thomas, P5, Holm Primary School
Thomas’ teacher told us: “Thomas has dyslexia and DLD so has significant barriers to his learning. He is making great progress meeting his usage targets every week and going over and above to improve in his learning. His hard work and perseverance in Lexia has allowed him to make progress across all aspects of learning. We are extremely proud of Thomas’ effort and determination.
Thomas’ dedication to Lexia and the extra over and above effort he puts in makes him a prime candidate for an award. This award shows everyone in our setting that effort, determination and hard work will make a difference and is rewarded, not just academic success!”
Lexia Leader Award
Winners: Katie Hopwood and Louise Corbett, Bishop Young Academy
Bishop Young’s Leader of Teaching and Learning told us: “Both Katie and Louise are History teachers by trade. They started teaching Lexia this academic year and have really bought into our rationale for teaching Lexia. They are absolutely committed to breaking down the barriers low reading ages and literacy can create.
The progress of the students in their classes is phenomenal. We have already had two students complete Lexia. Their Lexia room is covered wall to wall in the students’ progress certificates and the student love showing visitors their names on the wall. This makes me so proud to see.
They create a brilliant climate for learning and build such a rapport with students. Their belief in how Lexia can help students progress is unshakable and is clear in all that they do.”
Lexia Impact Award
Winner: Stoke Damerel Community College
Stoke Damerel’s Head Teacher told us: “Around 40% of our school enter with literacy levels well below national average. We serve one of the poorest boroughs in the Country. Approximately 45% of our pupils come from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have high rates of Children in Care and SEND. Our students typically struggle with grammar and comprehension of text, hence why we researched into Lexia. This all impacts students’ ability to read and write and ultimately their outcomes. We wanted to meet this head on and have used Lexia to address gaps in foundational skills and knowledge.
Starting with 6 extraction groups across Key Stage 3, we quickly identified the excellent progress being made. We have now rolled out Lexia to the whole of Year 7. Every morning, students begin the day with 20 minutes of dedicated Lexia support. As well as this, we have a dedicated team of 15 tutors and LSAs who carry out the ‘needs instruction’ sessions to close any emerging gaps. On a daily basis, we are prioritising Literacy and using Lexia to address barriers and close gaps. We celebrate with the students through the certification and support them through this program.
Our intervention groups have made fantastic progress already with nearly 25% moving from Foundational to Intermediate. Our Year 7 cohort are also making significant progress rapidly.
Students report that the program is “helping them read” whilst developing their understanding of the importance of literacy. Attendance rates are more promising compared to last year in every subgroup of children.
In our recent Ofsted inspection, inspectors commended the work and the program with literacy a clear priority within the school.
We feel incredibly proud of how well the children have taken to Lexia and the progress they are already making.”
Celebrating your school’s impact
Thank you once again to everyone who submitted a nomination. While your school may not have been selected this time, we are always inspired by the incredible stories shared about the impact Lexia is having in schools across the country.
If you would like to share your school’s story, you can nominate your school for our monthly School Spotlight feature using the form below.