Learning and Development
Raising Early Achievement in Literacy (REAL)
Making it REAL in Bolton
This programme is linked to both the Early years education recovery programme: supporting the sector which includes training for the Home Learning Environment (HLE) and the Family Hub Programme, with funding to support Early Language and Home Learning Environment.
REAL
- Boosts children’s communication, language and early literacy development.
- Supports parents and the home learning environment.
- Takes a low cost/no-cost approach.
- Is fun, engaging and accessible to all.
- Is built around the four strands of literacy and the ORIM framework.
- Builds practitioners and parents’ knowledge, skills and confidence to support children’s early literacy.
How REAL works
- Early Years Professionals attend 2-days 'Making it REAL' training.
- Schools and nurseries work with families through a series of home visits and literacy events.
- During home visits and literacy events, practitioner share resources with families to demonstrate and model the four strands of literacy and the 'ORIM Framework'.
Literacy event coming soon...
Download and print poster: REAL Family Fun Day
What's next
The next 2 day REAL training will be held in the autumn term:
A further opportunity to attend this training is available in spring 2026:
Making it REAL in Bolton: Network Events
Autumn term
Thursday, 13 November 2025
9:30am - 11:00am
Tonge Family Hub
Spring term
TBC
TBC
TBC
Summer term
TBC
TBC
TBC
Supporting Early Communication, Language and Literacy Development at Home
Families can come along to the free Chat, Play, Read sessions (for families with children 12 months plus). At these sessions, children, parents and carers join in with songs, reading and enjoy sensory play and craft activities. The sessions are designed to help parents boost their child's communication, language, and literacy development.
These sessions are facilitated by Family Hub Practitioners, right across the borough, and continue in the school holidays - please refer to the Guide to services and activities for families in Bolton for dates, times and venues.
Bolton Primary Schools and Nurseries Delivering the REAL Programme
- All Saints CE Primary School
- All Smiles Pre-school
- Baby Bede Day Nursery
- Beacon Primary School
- Blackshaw Primary School
- Bolton Day Nursery Bright Horizons
- Bolton Early Years and Preschool
- Bolton St Catherines Academy
- Bright Futures Nursery
- Church Road Primary School
- Croft House Day Nursery
- Eagley School House Nursery
- Eagley School House Nursery 2
- Gaskell Primary School
- Grosvenor Nursery School
- Heaton House Nursery
- High Lawn Primary School
- High Meadows Day Nursery
- Hocus Pocus Day Nursery
- Johnson Fold CP School
- Kearsley West Primary School
- Kids Planet Little Lever
- Ladybirds Nursery
- Lever Edge Primary Academy
- Moorgate Primary School
- Pikes Lane Primary School
- Red Lane Primary
- Rose Cottage Nursery
- Seymour Road Nursery
- Sharples Primary School
- St Ethelberts RCP
- St George's CE Primary School
- St James CE Primary School
- St Matthews CofE Primary School
- St Michaels CEP
- St Peter & St Pauls RCP School
- Sunning Hill Primary School
- Super Stars Nursery
- The Ferns Academy
- The Gates Primary School
- The Olive Garden Nursery
- The Red House Nursery
- The Valley CP School
- TicTots Nursery - Case Study or View in HTML
- Wells House Kindergarten
- Willow Tree Nursery