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We've got some fantastic news to share as we celebrate a decade of Schoolreaders making a difference. 2,000 incredible volunteers across 1,000 schools are supporting a whopping 20,000 children with one to one reading support every single week - thanks to you! There is more to this than the numbers; our volunteers are helping to change the life-stories of these children. It couldn’t be done without the incredible support of our volunteers and supporters, so from each of the 20,000 children who benefit from reading support this week—THANK YOU! In our recent annual research, a whopping 93% of participating schools reported that spending time with a Schoolreaders volunteer significantly boosted children's reading confidence. Children just like Sally May… Sally May is a bright and enthusiastic nine-year-old attending a school in one of the top 10 most deprived communities of the country. She has her own story to tell about the impact of Schoolreaders; "Schoolreaders have helped me a lot in my reading. When I was little, my mouth wasn't working properly to say some words, but Miss Nicholson helped me say loads of different words I couldn't say before. It makes me feel proud, and it makes me feel like Miss Nicholson is precious to me—she’s my treasure." If you are planning to make a donation to Schoolreaders this Christmas, between November 28th and December 5th, every £1 you donate will be doubled. That means, for one week, every £30 you contribute, two children get a full year of life-changing one-to-one reading support. It means that every donation will have twice the impact. Thank you once again for helping us to change children’s life chances – one page at a time.

Are you eager to make a positive impact on young readers' lives this academic year? Our County Ambassadors, who are also dedicated volunteer readers, have shared some invaluable tips to help you get started or enhance your experience when returning to school. If you have any ideas to add to this, please feel free to send them to admin@schoolreaders.org. We hope you have a rewarding and enjoyable time reading in school this year. 1. Build Relationships with Reception Staff: Establish friendly connections with the reception staff whenever possible. They can provide valuable support and information during your visits! 2. Consistency Matters: Request a list of the children you'll be reading with from the teacher(s) if possible. Encourage teachers to assign you the same children each week, fostering consistency. Periodically changing students, perhaps on a half termly basis, can also be beneficial if more children could benefit from your help. 3. Address Preferences: Ask the teacher how they want the children to address you. Some may prefer formal titles like Mrs., Mr., or Miss, while others may like the informality of first names. 4. Understand the School's Routine: Ask the school to explain a typical reading session in school, these will differ by age group. Ideally, you'll have time for a brief chat at the beginning and to offer praise at the end of the reading session. 5. Stay Informed About School Schedules: Familiarize yourself with the school's inset days, class trips, and holidays, as these vary among schools. We don’t want you to turn up if the school is closed! 6. Bring a Notebook: Consider carrying a notebook to jot down children's names and the page they reached in their books. This can be especially helpful as children don’t always remember what page they got up to. 7. Maintain Reading Records: While many schools may ask you to complete a reading record for each child, if they don’t, consider writing down how they have read and if there is anything you want to concentrate on with them next time. 8. Don't Be Shy: Some people feel nervous about interrupting a class to pull out the readers – there is no need to feel you are being disrespectful. Teachers would usually prefer you to pop your head in to say hello and to let them know you have arrived so you can collect the first child. Once you have started with one child it can be less disrupting to get that child to send the next one on your list - they like doing that! 9. Choose a Quiet Spot: If you're reading in a public area, position yourself and the child so your backs are to the traffic flow. If it is busy and noisy the children can get distracted but having your backs to the hullabaloo definitely helps! 10. Bring Visual Aids: Consider bringing props or visual aids related to the reading material to engage the children. Always check with the teacher first to ensure it's appropriate. 11. Promote Comprehension: Encourage understanding by asking questions like, "How do you think the character feels?" or "What might happen next?" This helps children develop comprehension and analytical skills. 12. Tailor Your Approach: Recognize that each teacher has a unique approach, and some focus more on volunteer readers than others. If children frequently receive books that are too easy or too difficult, consult the Teaching Assistant for advice on appropriate reading levels. 13. Assist with Difficult Words: If a child is struggling with challenging words, read a sentence aloud, discuss it with the child, and then have them read the same sentence back to you. This method enhances engagement and improves vocabulary. 14. Be Patient and Take Initiative: Understand that teachers are often busy and overwhelmed and may not always be able to make time to chat with you. Be patient and proactive, taking the initiative to build a warm and friendly relationship. Over time, as they witness the children's progress, they may become more engaged with you. 15. Adapt to Changes: Lessons do sometimes change and this can impact on your sessions – you may have to fill in ten minutes if assembly or a PE lesson is scheduled and clashes with your allocated session time. When this happens it is fine to say to the teacher that your volunteer period is set and that because of the change you will have to read with one less pupil and pick them up the following week. Of course if you have the flexibility to stay an extra 10 minutes to read with them that is great. 16. Spread Smiles and Fun: Finally, remember to greet each child with a smile as they arrive, and most importantly, have fun during your time as a Schoolreaders volunteer!

On Friday 28th of July, The October Club, a committee of philanthropists based in the City, held their first fundraising event of the year, raising an incredible £8,580 for Schoolreaders with a day at Ascot Racecourse. Since 1987, The October Club has raised over £15 million for transformational projects across 35 charities. In 2023 it will raise funds for our Northern England expansion programme, allowing Schoolreaders to provide one to one reading support to an additional 26,000 children across areas of deprivation in the North of England. The Ascot Race Day was a great opportunity for representatives from Schoolreaders, including staff, trustees and supporters, to get to know The October Club committee and explain more about the importance of our work in promoting lifelong literacy. With the weather on side, it was a fantastic day of raising funds for Schoolreaders. Funds were raised through a raffle, a live auction, and an enthusiastic game of ‘heads or tails’! A massive thank you must go out to Berenberg, the sponsor for the day’s event, and those who kindly supplied generous prizes for the auction and raffle, including; Richard Morcombe, Alice Garnett, David Coubrough, Elly Polhill, Serena Ansell and Augustine Jewels. The top highlight for all must have been attending ‘The Berenberg October Club Supporting Schoolreaders Fillies Handicap’ stakes, a race dedicated to Schoolreaders. Charity founder Jane Whitbread was asked to judge the most well-presented horse of the race and presented a prize to the winning groom. A huge thank you once again to The October Club, Berenberg, and all those who worked so hard to make the day a great success. You can help to support Schooreaders here.

We are thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the Race for Reading 2023. It has been a remarkable journey that has brought together passionate individuals and organisations to support children's literacy. Every step taken, every mile covered, and every donation made has made has helped to open up the world of reading for Primary school children around the country. Now we have crossed the finish line, let's highlight some of our incredible participants: Jan, one of our exceptional Schoolreaders volunteers, embarked on a 150-mile walk to contribute to the Race for Reading. Her dedication to supporting young readers is truly inspiring. Jan's daughter even took to Twitter to commend her, urging others to support her cause! "My mum is walking 150 miles for Schoolreaders, she really enjoys going in to hear the little ones read each week!" Helen took part in the Milton Keynes Half marathon to and counted up her miles to contribute to the Race for Reading. It was her first ever half marathon, and her motivation was clear: to provide face-to-face reading support from a Schoolreaders volunteer, thereby improving literacy outcomes for more children. She finished in just 2 hours 9 minutes. Congratulations on a great result Helen! County Teams Ambassador Victoria Dunlop has taken our Race around the world quite literally, by cycling over 250 miles from Vienna to Budapest! She said 'As an Ambassador and reading volunteer for Schoolreaders, I was keen to get involved. I see the important work being done for children to reach their full potential and improve their literacy.' Great work Victoria, and congratulations on being our top fundraiser, raising over £1,000! Jennifer, together with her colleagues at Kindred, joined forces to take on the Race for Reading challenge. Jennifer set a personal target of 100 miles in 80 days, embracing the joys and challenges along the way, including a bite from a cheeky local horse! Having set herself a 150 mile goal, she smashed it by travelling 167 miles with a combination of cycling, running and walking. A huge thank you once again to Jennifer and her team for their enthusiasm! Together, we have accomplished something extraordinary. Over the course of the race, we covered a staggering 12,000 miles—equivalent to traveling from London to New Zealand. Moreover, we have raised over £7,000 - enough to provide more than 200 children with weekly reading support! The Race for Reading platform will remain open for a three more weeks, allowing participants to add any additional miles or donations. We still have a generous donor who is matching funds, doubling the impact of every pound raised. So, please do add in any of those last minute funds - every pound will be worth twice as much. Once again, thank you. Your support truly makes a difference, and we are deeply grateful for your involvement in the #RaceForReading. To learn more or contribute further, please visit our website: https://www.raceforreading.org/.

The October Club is delighted to announce that their chosen charity for 2023 is Schoolreaders, a national children’s literacy charity. Schoolreaders was founded in 2013 and matches volunteers with local primary schools to provide free, one-to-one reading support sessions, with a focus on reaching the most disadvantaged children. They currently support over 17,000 children every week in more than 880 primary schools. In 2022, 1 in 4 children in England left primary school unable to read to the expected standard age 11*. Poor literacy is linked to many longer-term issues in society such as poverty, crime, unemployment, mental and physical ill-health, and homelessness. It is estimated that 16.4% of adults in England (7.1 million people) have very poor literacy skills** struggling with everyday tasks like reading a medicine label, interpreting simple written instructions, or filling out a job application form. In addition, nearly two-thirds (62%) of adults entering prisons have the literacy skills expected of an 11-year-old***. Jane Whitbread, Founder and CEO said: “As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, Schoolreaders’ work has never been more vital. Weekly time with our volunteers makes a proven difference to a child’s reading ability, fluency, comprehension and, just as important, their love of reading and social skills. It connects people and helps build community. We are absolutely delighted to be working with The October Club – their support will be transformational in reaching many thousand more children. Our partnership will enable us to significantly expand our provision into the North of England.” Sam Huggins, Chair of the October Club said: “The October Club, in partnership with Schoolreaders, is incredibly proud to announce our 2023 charity collaboration. Together, we are dedicated to making a profound impact on children's lives by improving literacy in the most deprived areas across the nation. Our partnership with Schoolreaders aligns perfectly with our mission to support and uplift individuals and communities. Together, we aim to bridge the literacy gap, ensuring more young people have the opportunity to develop essential reading skills and unlock a world of possibilities. By joining forces with Schoolreaders, we reinforce our commitment to the next generation, providing the tools they need to succeed in today's rapidly evolving world. As Chair of The October Club, I am immensely excited about this partnership and the incredible impact it will have. Together, we will change lives, break barriers, and create a brighter future for generations to come. We invite you to join us as we harness the power of literacy to transform lives and empower children to reach their full potential.” Read more on The October Club website Sources: *https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-2-attainment/2021-22 **https://literacytrust.org.uk/parents-and-families/adult-literacy/ ***https://literacytrust.org.uk/programmes/books-unlocked/new-chapters/#:~:text=Nearly%20two%2Dthirds%20(62%25),Prison%20Reform%20Trust%2C%202021).

Tritax Big Box, the largest listed investor in high quality UK logistics warehouse assets, has renewed its partnership with national children’s literacy charity, Schoolreaders. The charity, founded in 2013, matches volunteers with local primary schools to provide free, one-to-one reading support sessions, with a focus on reaching the most disadvantaged children. Tritax Big Box was Schoolreaders’ first corporate partner. Since 2019, its donations have enabled more than 1,000 school children to receive weekly one-to-one reading support sessions, delivered by over 100 volunteers. The renewed and expanded three-year partnership from 2023 will support a further 1,800 children, with sessions delivered by around 180 volunteers. The funding will reach pupils across the nation, in regions where Big Box’s assets are based. Alan Somerville, ESG Director at Tritax Big Box, commented: “Children who enter secondary school as confident readers are empowered to thrive. Conversely, poor literacy can have lifelong – even cross-generational – consequences. We’re delighted to support Schoolreaders and its network of inspirational volunteers in enhancing young people’s lives and academic prospects – bringing long-term benefits to communities across the UK. “From the outset, it was important that our investment reached the children who need it most in counties where we acquire and develop assets. Schoolreaders understood that and took up our challenge. As we have grown, so has their impact in the regions where we are based.” In 2022, 1 in 4 children in England left primary school unable to read to the expected standard age 11*. Poor literacy is linked to many longer-term issues in society such as poverty, crime, unemployment, mental and physical ill-health, and homelessness. It is estimated that 16.4% of adults in England (7.1 million people) have very poor literacy skills** struggling with everyday tasks like reading a medicine label, interpreting simple written instructions, or filling out a job application form. In addition, nearly two-thirds (62%) of people entering prisons have the literacy skills expected of an 11-year-old***. Schoolreaders’ founder Jane Whitbread adds: “As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, Schoolreaders’ work has never been more vital. Weekly time with our volunteers makes a proven difference to a child’s reading ability, fluency, comprehension and, just as important, their love of reading and social skills. It connects people and helps build community. “We know from the volunteers themselves that the benefits of the programme also extend to them. They gain so much from knowing they’ve made a difference to a child’s day and, even better, their future. Everyone wins with the simple Schoolreaders model which is also highly scalable and cost-effective. Our long-standing partnership with Tritax Big Box has been instrumental in reaching many more children with this vital reading support.” Currently, around 16,250 children are receiving in-person support sessions every week from a Schoolreaders volunteer, and the charity has ambitious growth planned into 2024, 2025 and beyond. Schoolreaders is solely financed by fundraised income. Donations help fund the charity’s operations, including the recruitment and interviewing of all volunteers, engagement with primary schools, matching volunteers to the best school, ongoing volunteer and school support, and ensuring appropriate safeguarding and DBS processes are in place. Sources: * https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/key-stage-2-attainment/2021-22 **https://literacytrust.org.uk/parents-and-families/adult-literacy/ ***https://literacytrust.org.uk/programmes/books-unlocked/new-chapters/#:~:text=Nearly%20two%2Dthirds%20(62%25),Prison%20Reform%20Trust%2C%202021). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Schoolreaders CIO Registered Charity Number: 1159157 Izzy Perks, Marketing & Communications Manager Email: i.perks@schoolreaders.org Tritax Group Kekst CNC Neil Maitland / Tom Climie Tel: +44 (0) 7971 578 507 +44 (0) 7760 160 248 Email: tritax@kekstcnc.com NOTES Tritax Big Box REIT plc (ticker: BBOX) is the largest listed investor in high-quality logistics warehouse assets and controls the largest logistics-focused land platform in the UK. Tritax Big Box is committed to delivering attractive and sustainable returns for shareholders by investing in and actively managing existing built investments and land suitable for logistics development. The Company focuses on well-located, modern logistics assets, typically let to institutional-grade tenants on long-term leases with upward-only rent reviews and geographic and tenant diversification throughout the UK. The Company seeks to exploit the significant opportunity provided by the imbalance between strong occupational demand and constrained supply of modern logistics real estate in the UK. The Company is a real estate investment trust to which Part 12 of the UK Corporation Tax Act 2010 applies, is listed on the premium segment of the Official List of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and is a constituent of the FTSE 250, FTSE EPRA/NAREIT and MSCI indices. Further information on Tritax Big Box REIT is available at www.tritaxbigbox.co.uk.

Schoolreaders is proud to be a part of the Big Help Out, a national campaign that aims to bring together people and organizations to make a difference in their communities. We are excited to join this effort and to celebrate the incredible positive difference our volunteers are making across the country. At Schoolreaders, we believe that every child deserves the chance to learn how to read, no matter what their background or circumstances may be. We are committed to improving literacy rates and to helping children develop the skills they need to succeed in life. Through our work, we provide one-to-one reading support to children in primary schools across the country. Our volunteers are passionate about reading and are dedicated to helping children build their confidence and improve their reading ability. We believe that this time and support can make a real difference in the lives of children who are struggling with literacy. Could you offer your time to help change a child’s life story? The Big Help Out is a great opportunity for us to connect with other organizations and to find like-minded people who want to help us to make a difference. We believe that by working together, we can make a greater impact and help more children succeed. We are also thrilled that the Big Help Out is a way for us to mark the King's coronation. By participating in the Big Help Out, we are not only contributing to our community, but also paying tribute to this historic event. Are you having a street party or Coronation Cream Tea? We’d love to hear from you! Share your Activities with the Hashtag #Schoolreaders and #BigHelpOut We are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Big Help Out, and we are excited to see the impact that we can make together! If you are interested in getting involved with Schoolreaders and supporting our work, please explore our website to find out how you can help.

As an organization that is dedicated to improving literacy levels among primary school children in the UK, Schoolreaders was delighted to attend the Oxford Literary Festival and listen to a live poetry session by Joseph Coelho, an award-winning children's author and poet, and the current children's laureate! The festival was a fantastic opportunity for Schoolreaders to network with other literacy-focused organizations, and spread the word about the amazing work being done by our volunteers to support children's reading. The live session by Joseph Coelho was a particular highlight of the festival. His passion for writing and his ability to connect with young readers was evident, and his poems were thought-provoking, funny and very engaging. The session was also interactive, as Joseph led the children in the audience and coached them on how to write their own poems. They also had the opportunity ask questions and share their thoughts about his work, and a few brave youngsters even got the chance to perform poetry as animals on stage! Seeing the children respond so positively to Joseph Coelho's work and poetry prompts was a powerful reminder of the transformative power of literature. After the session, children and adults alike had the opportunity to meet Joseph Coelho and have their books signed by him. Schoolreaders will continue to have a presence at children's event throughout the Oxford Literary Festival, so if you see us, do stop and say hello!

This week we celebrated #WorldBookDay. With a child's enjoyment of reading now shown to mean more for their future life-chances than reading attainment, there's never been a more important time to spread the joy of reading. Check out these fantastic ideas from the Independent, featuring thoughts from Schoolreader's very own Rachel Rogan, the founder of BookTastic (booktastic.org.uk), a Bedford based book festival which focuses on children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds. She says; “A love of reading is one of the most powerful gifts you can give to a child”. “As well as the obvious benefits – stories are fun, magical devices that don’t require charging or Wi-Fi and can transport you to another dimension in seconds – reading is a proven and hugely effective route out of poverty.” 1. Relax into it “Dial down any stress involved in ‘learning to read’,” says child development expert and Readly (gb.readly.com) spokesperson Dr Jacqueline Harding. “Offer material that has something to ‘say’ to children. There needs to be a sense of fun for readers to be relaxed and fully engaged, this is key to the experience of beginning to decipher those squiggles on the page.” “Children tend to like characters who are similar to them, ones they can relate to, and who are aspirational and inspirational.” 2. Short on time? Not a problem Focus on the quality of time spent reading, not quantity. “Family life is often hectic. It’s good to know that it’s all about the quality of time spent together and, sometimes those short bursts of reading are more valuable anyway. We want children to end a ‘reading session’, whatever form that might take, feeling confident and satisfied – not bored,” Harding explains. “Then, next time you suggest sharing a book or magazine, they are more likely to jump at the opportunity.” 3. Share the joy of a book Make reading a family affair. “Dive into the reading space with your children. Laugh and enjoy the experience together – this communicates that reading is a fun and fantastic activity. Share favourite books, magazines and platforms with friends – and talk about the characters and which plots or narratives captivate you,” Harding says. Read the full article for more ideas and inspiration here.

Vote today in the PG Mutual Charity Awards The PG Mutual Charity Awards shortlist has been announced, and we are delighted to have been selected for the shortlist by PG Mutual Staff. The four charities which receive the most votes each receive £1,000 – so please vote for Schoolreaders. Voting only takes a moment, and you will not be required to provide any personal details or sign up to do so. Don’t forget to share this link with family and friends too. These vital funds will help us to help even more children learn to read. Vote now: https://www.pgmutual.co.uk/charity-awards-vote.php

Did you catch Schoolreaders on BBC Breakfast last week? We were so proud to be able to talk about our vital work on the Breakfast sofa. Our Founder Jane Whitbread met with 100 year old Peter Davies, who was recently the oldest person to be awarded a British Empire Medal in the King's New Year's Honours List for his dedication as a reading volunteer. Peter Davies, 100 Year old Reading Volunteer Peter served as a glider pilot during WWII, assisting with the planning of key war operations such as Operation Overlord and Market Garden. During the war, his plane was struck several times, but he was able to make it to safety. He is not only a war hero, but also the hero of Dean Valley Community Primary School in Cheshire, where he has been serving as a dedicated reading volunteer for over six years. Peter’s enthusiasm for his role as a reading volunteer has certainly inspired many others and, since the broadcast, we have been delighted to receive such a number of high quality applications from people keen to follow his lead and help children in their own communities. Michael Rosen on BBC Breakfast Jane also had the chance to chat with Michael Rosen, renowned children’s author and former Children’s Poet Laureate, about the importance of childhood literacy. Author of ‘We’re going on a Bear Hunt’, Michael said; “People think of reading as simply reading, but there’s more to it than that. As we have seen from Peter Davies, it’s more like a community. “In my mind there's a magic triangle. There is the book, the child and the adult who is sharing the book. There's a whizz round of emotions between the three, so you have a magic triangle. Reading doesn’t need to work to a certain level due to the child’s age. For example, picture books can be full of interesting and complex ideas, however they can be overlooked." We very much hope this interview has been a platform to showcase the valuable work we do at Schoolreaders and explain why our charity is vital in helping more children leave primary school able to read well – especially the youngest and most disadvantaged children who have been set back following the Covid pandemic. Watch the appearance on Schoolreaders Youtube channel below and do share with any family or friends who may be interested.

1 in 4 children – around 166,000 pupils every summer – leave primary school unable to read well. That is 25% of 11 year olds every year. Our founder, Jane Whitbread, was galvanised to do something about this worrying statistic ten years ago and Schoolreaders was born. Arguably, today, the face-to-face reading support which our volunteers provide is even more in demand than ever. It is the youngest and most disadvantaged children who have been set back the most following the Covid pandemic. Literacy levels amongst six year olds has declined to the lowest level in more than a decade, whilst, amongst disadvantaged pupils*, only half of them are able to read to the expected standard at the end of Key Stage 1 (around 8 years old) and only 62% at the end of Key Stage 2 (around 11 years old). Children who leave primary school unable to read well will have trouble accessing their secondary education fully. If you are struggling to read, understanding science text books for example, is not going to be an easy task. Additionally, only 10% of disadvantaged children who leave primary school with their reading below the expected standard get passes in English and mathematics at GCSE. For some children, being able to read well as they start secondary education will, undoubtedly change their life story. In our opinion, reading to a trusted adult regularly is of enormous benefit. Research indicates that early one-to-one interventions have the potential for the largest, immediate impact on attainment with its focus on high quality, adult-child interactions. If we can crack levels of literacy in primary schools then we will go some way to reducing the number of functionally illiterate adults in the UK. Currently there are 7.1 million, 1 in 6 of the population, who find basic tasks such as reading instructions, filling in a job application form or taking a driving theory test tricky. Furthermore, nearly 60% of all prisoners have a reading age below that of an 11 year old. This is why our Schoolreaders volunteers are doing such a superb job by providing one-to-one reading sessions for children in primary schools nationwide - especially focusing on schools with an immediate need to support those pupils’ who have been set back. Not only do they share their love of reading but they have such a positive influence on their reading enjoyment, confidence and fluency. One of the questions we’re often asked at Schoolreaders is why aren’t parents reading to their children every night? Figures vary but research indicates that only just over a quarter of parents of under tens read regularly to their children every evening. Sadly, children from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to be read to at home than their peers. This can be for a myriad of reasons. Not all parents are literate themselves, some may have English as a second language and, in the height of the cost of living crisis, some are working all hours to make ends meet. In conclusion, Schoolreaders provides a valuable charitable service to support our education system and we will continue to do all we can to help more children leave primary school able to read well. *Disadvantaged children - ordinarily defined as: those who were registered as eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years, children looked after by a local authority or have left local authority care in England.