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A guide for primary schools
Digital reading records: replacing paper reading records in primary schools
Paper reading records get lost, forgotten and left unsigned, and checking them eats into teaching time. Here's how a digital reading record works, what it saves and how to make the switch.
What is a digital reading record?
A digital reading record is an online replacement for the paper reading record, or reading diary, that pupils take home. Teachers, parents and pupils log each read in an app, and the school sees every child's reading in one place, without collecting, checking and signing paper books.
The problem with paper reading records
Paper reading records have been part of primary school life for generations, but they cause the same headaches in almost every school:
They go missing
Reading records are lost, damaged or left at the bottom of a school bag, taking weeks of reading history with them.
They take time to check
Collecting, reading, signing and returning 30 books a day adds up to hours of staff time every week.
They hide the full picture
You can't see at a glance which pupils aren't reading at home, and there's no whole-school view for leaders.
They're hard for some families
A single paper book doesn't work well for children who split their week between two homes, or for busy parents.
They cost money every year
Schools buy new reading record books each year, plus replacements for the ones that go missing.
They don't motivate
A signature and a page number rarely excites a reluctant reader to pick up a book again tomorrow.
Paper vs digital reading records
| Paper reading record | BoomReader digital reading record | |
|---|---|---|
| Logging a read | Written and signed in a book that has to travel home and back | A few taps by a parent, teacher or pupil, from anywhere |
| Lost or forgotten | Often, and the reading history goes with it | Never: every log is saved securely |
| Checking reading | Collect and read every book by hand | See the whole class at a glance, and who needs a nudge |
| Parents | One book, one household | Free Parents app for iPhone and Android, for every carer |
| Motivation | A signature | Gems, reward cards and a Boomer character to customise |
| Reading data | None without hours of counting | Class, year group and whole-school reading data |
| Yearly cost | A new book for every pupil, plus replacements | £1.55 per pupil, with BoomWriter included |
The benefits of a digital reading record
For teachers
Log reading in seconds, set weekly reading targets, follow a class activity feed and spot pupils who haven't read. Teacher features
For parents
Log reading at home in a few taps with the free Parents app. A reading diary that's never lost and always to hand. For parents
For pupils
Earn gems for every read, collect reward cards, write book reviews and read their friends' recommendations. Pupil features
For school leaders
See reading across the whole school, by year group, class and pupil group, with national comparisons. Data Dashboard
How much time and money could your school save?
Here's an example for a typical two-form entry primary school with 420 pupils:
How we work this out: 1.5 minutes of staff time per pupil each week handling and checking paper reading records, over 39 school weeks, and one reading record book per pupil each year at about £0.75. These are estimates; every school is different. Work out your own school's savings with our calculator.
How to switch from paper to digital reading records
- Start a free trial or book a demo. Create your school account for a free 30-day trial, or book a demo and we'll show you around first.
- Set up your classes. Connect your MIS through Wonde and your staff, pupils and classes are imported in minutes, with no spreadsheets. You can also add classes by hand.
- Invite parents. Send families their login letters so they can download the free BoomReader Parents app and start logging reading at home.
- Log reading in school. Teachers and support staff log guided and individual reading, and pupils can log their own reading if you'd like them to.
- Retire the paper books. Once families are logging, stop ordering paper reading records and use the time you've saved on teaching.
Want resources to help launch it? Download free posters, certificates and Boomers from our classroom resources, and watch the walkthrough videos.
Why schools choose BoomReader
- Award-winning. Winner of the best educational app at the Bett Awards, as GoRead, now officially BoomReader.
- Affordable. £1.55 per pupil, per year, with no charge for pupils who join mid-year. See pricing
- Two tools in one. The BoomWriter collaborative writing tool is included free.
- Quick to set up. Classes in minutes with the Wonde MIS integration.
- Built for families. A free Parents app for iPhone and Android, so every carer can log reading.
- Motivating. Gems, reward cards, Boomers and reading quests keep pupils reading.
- Flexible. Pupils don't need to log in: use it as a teacher and parent app if you prefer.
- Pupil leadership. BoomBassadors let confident readers support others.
- Data you can act on. The optional Data Dashboard shows reading across your school.
- Secure. UK GDPR compliant, with data encrypted at rest and stored in the EU. Data protection FAQs
Digital reading record FAQs
What is a digital reading record?
A digital reading record is an online replacement for the paper reading record (or reading diary) that pupils take home. Teachers, parents and pupils log each read in an app, and the school can see every child's reading in one place, without collecting, checking and signing paper books.
Are digital reading records better than paper reading records?
For most schools, yes. A digital reading record can't be lost or left at home, parents can log reading from their phone, teachers can see who is and isn't reading at a glance, and leaders get whole-school reading data. Schools also stop buying paper reading record books every year.
How much does BoomReader cost?
BoomReader costs £1.55 per pupil, per year, with the BoomWriter collaborative writing tool included. There's no extra charge for pupils who join during the school year, and you can try it free for 30 days. See full pricing.
Do pupils need to log in or have their own device?
No. Schools can use BoomReader purely as a teacher and parent app. Parents log reading at home with the free BoomReader Parents app, and teachers log reading in school. Older pupils can log in to write about their reading and review books if you'd like them to.
How long does it take to set up BoomReader?
With the Wonde integration, BoomReader pulls your staff, pupils and classes straight from your school's MIS, so classes can be set up in minutes with no spreadsheets. You can also set up classes manually.
Is BoomReader GDPR compliant?
BoomReader processes data under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, acting as a data processor for the school. Data is stored in encrypted systems (AES-256 at rest) in the EU, a pupil's personal information is anonymised 90 days after they leave, and schools choose which MIS data categories are synchronised. Read more in our FAQs and privacy policy.
Can we try BoomReader before we buy?
Yes. Every school can start a free 30-day trial, and we're happy to give you a personalised demo first.
Ready to replace your paper reading records?
Join the schools already using BoomReader. Try it free for 30 days, or book a demo and we'll show you how it could work for your school.