How to Measure the Impact of Pageticker in Your School

Schools adopt Pageticker for different reasons. Some want to replace paper reading diaries with a system that parents actually use. Others want better oversight of reading activity, improved book tracking, or a stronger reading culture across the school. Every setting is different.

Because schools' objectives vary, there is no single "correct" way to evaluate the impact of Pageticker. The most meaningful assessment is one that measures progress against your own goals.

To measure the impact of Pageticker...

Step 1: Define what success looks like

Before assessing impact, ask:

Why are we introducing Pageticker?

Common objectives include:

• Replacing paper reading diaries with a more engaging system

• Increasing parental engagement with home reading

• Reducing teacher administration

• Improving visibility of reading activity

• Keeping track of books and reducing losses

• Encouraging reading for pleasure

• Creating a stronger whole-school reading culture

  
  

Once your objective is clear, you can decide what evidence to collect.

Objective 1: Replacing paper reading diaries

If your main goal is to move away from paper reading records and provide families with a system they prefer, we recommend following a methodology similar to the reading diary study we conducted in 2025.

The study focused purely on parental engagement and frequency of creating reading logs. It’s easy to replicate, and additionally, schools could survey parents for additional information - questions might include:

• Which system do you prefer?

• How easy is it to record reading?

• How often do you log reading?

• How useful are the reminders and notifications?

• Would you like to continue using Pageticker?

This approach is particularly useful if your primary goal is parent engagement and replacing an outdated process.

Objective 2: Improving oversight of reading activity

Some schools adopt Pageticker because they want greater visibility of reading taking place at home.

In this case, useful measures include:

Baseline

Record:

• Number of times each child’s record has been seen per week

• Number of teacher comments in per reading diary per week

• Teacher confidence in understanding pupils' reading habits

After implementation

Compare:

• Number of times each child’s reading circles have been seen each week

• Number of comments, acknowledgements or nudges that have been made per pupil per week (click on the pupil’s name for this info)

• Teacher confidence in understanding pupils' reading habits

  
  

The question here is not simply "Are children reading more?" but "Do we have a clearer picture of reading activity than we did before?"

Objective 3: Keeping track of books

For schools operating a classroom library, sending reading scheme books or phonics books home, or those that have a central lending library, book accountability may be a major objective.

Possible measures include:

Before/after implementation comparisons:

• Number of books lost each term

• Estimated replacement costs

• Staff time spent tracking books

A simple comparison of annual book losses before and after introducing Pageticker can provide a meaningful indication of impact.

Objective 4: Increasing reading for pleasure

This is often the most ambitious objective, and the most difficult to measure.

Reading for pleasure is not simply about the number of books read. It is about attitudes, motivation and choice.

Schools may wish to collect evidence through:

Pupil surveys

Questions such as:

• Do you enjoy reading?

• How often do you choose to read outside school?

• Do you talk about books with friends or family?

• Can you name a book you enjoyed recently?

Reading participation data

• Number of books completed

• Variety of books read

• Library borrowing levels

• Participation in reading challenges

Qualitative evidence

• Pupil voice interviews

• Teacher observations

• Examples of book recommendations between pupils

• Increased discussion of books around the school

Because reading for pleasure develops gradually, schools may wish to compare results over an academic year rather than a single term.

Objective 5: Building a reading culture

Some schools see Pageticker as part of a broader reading strategy rather than a standalone intervention.

In this case, evidence may include:

• Parent participation rates

• Reading challenge participation

• Library usage

• Staff involvement in reading promotion

• Pupil reading surveys

• Celebration of reading achievements

The key question becomes:

"Is reading becoming more visible, valued and celebrated throughout the school?"

Combining quantitative and qualitative evidence

The strongest evaluations usually combine numbers with real-world experiences.

For example:

• “85% of parents logged reading weekly.”

• “Library borrowing increased by 22%.”

• “Parents reported that recording reading was easier than using paper diaries.”

• “Teachers reported greater visibility of home reading habits.”

• “Pupils said they enjoyed sharing book recommendations with classmates”.

Together, these findings provide a richer picture than any single metric alone.

Focus on your goals

The most successful impact assessments begin with a simple question:

What are we hoping Pageticker will help us achieve?

Once that is clear, the evidence you collect becomes much more meaningful.

Rather than asking whether Pageticker has had an impact in general, schools can assess or measure whether it has delivered the specific outcomes that matter most to their pupils, families and staff.