Primary schools across London will receive a major reading boost this week from Bookmark Reading Charity, as the children’s literacy charity launches its largest programme to date across the capital.
More than 125 primary schools in the boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Hackney, Islington, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Wandsworth will benefit from the charity’s Roots to Reading Programme, which aims to boost whole-school reading cultures and embed reading for pleasure into the lives of pupils.
25,000 new books are being distributed to schools across London as part of the programme, giving thousands of children access to high-quality, diverse reading materials, in a package worth more than £250,000.
Each participating school receives a wide range of support designed to nurture a lifelong love of reading among children aged 4–11. This includes 200 new, high-quality books, exclusive access for teachers to Reading for Pleasure training and professional development opportunities, an annual subscription to Bookmark Reading Charity’s termly children’s magazine The Story Corner, and a range of additional resources to help embed a reading culture across the whole school community.
One in four children in England leave primary school unable to read well1. This disproportionately impacts children from disadvantaged backgrounds, who leave primary school on average a year behind their peers. The Education Endowment Foundation reports that only 10% of these children go on to pass English and Maths GCSE2. Bookmark Reading Charity’s vision is to ensure every child can read, empowering them with the literacy skills they need in school and beyond through a range of targeted programmes.
The schools where Bookmark Reading Charity focuses its work are identified using child deprivation data alongside Key Stage 2 reading attainment results. The impact of the charity’s programmes in other areas such as Birmingham, Rochdale, Sheffield and Plymouth has been significant:
74% of partner schools said the programme made a positive difference to how often children read at school.
99% reported a positive difference to reading enjoyment.
84% of teachers saw an increase in the variety of texts read by pupils.
Emily Jack, CEO of Bookmark Reading Charity, said:
“We are incredibly proud to launch our new Roots to Reading Programme across London, our biggest roll out of this programme to date. By placing thousands of books directly into schools and supporting teachers to champion reading for pleasure, our aim is to inspire more children to discover the joy of reading for pleasure.
Reading is fundamental to a child’s future opportunities. Bookmark’s programmes are designed to offer every child the chance to develop a life-changing love of books to change life stories.”
Bookmark Reading Charity’s Roots to Reading Programme launches across participating London primary schools this week.
