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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.

LEADERSHIP TEAM OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM OUR PATRONS GYLES BRANDRETH, BROADCASTER AND AUTHOR In 2023, Gyles became the first official patron for Schoolreaders, a charity providing primary schools with dedicated volunteers to support children’s reading on a one-to-one basis. With one in four children currently leaving primary school unable to read to the expected standard, this provision is vital for many children, particularly the most disadvantaged. Schoolreaders volunteers support more than 19,000 children each week. Reading is the gateway to learning which then opens up life chances, something which Gyles understands deeply, making him the ideal Patron. KATE ADIE, JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR Kate Adie, British journalist, author and war correspondent, became a patron of Schoolreaders in 2024, emphasizing her commitment to literacy. Kate has a strong desire to see that all children receive a good education, as can be seen through her involvement on various education and school boards. Renowned for her frontline reporting, Kate's support amplifies Schoolreader's mission to improve children's literacy skills through one-to-one reading support with a Schoolreaders volunteer and showcases her dedication to education and providing children with brighter futures. OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM JANE WHITBREAD, Founder and Trustee Jane started Schoolreaders in 2013 and has been delighted by the way it has been welcomed in the educational field. Jane’s early career was in marketing and product development with Unilever, United Biscuits, Johnson& Johnson. She subsequently set up an NGO in South Africa in 2001 in the health and welfare field and a related trust in the UK. Jane was President of the British Red Cross in Bedfordshire for 7 years. She lives in Bedfordshire, has four children and enjoys natural history, travel and sunshine. JO HAWKINS, Financial Consultant Jo has worked as a Chartered Accountant for over 20 years, working in the City of London for many years and now in private practice in Bedfordshire. As a mother to three young children Jo is particularly passionate about literacy and education. She serves as parent governor in her children’s school and is active in local governance and education. She loves travel, music and the arts and spending time with her family. LUCY COPEMAN, Communications Director and Trustee Lucy is a mother of two and runs a cut flower farm in Bedfordshire. For ten years before that she was a Director of Public Relations in a City agency. She is an active fundraiser and organiser for charities, and serves on the Bedfordshire county committees of the NSPCC and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust. Her interests include music and choral singing. ANNABEL COX , Head of Operations Annabel manages the team who deal with our reading volunteers and schools on a day-to-day basis. Her background is in customer service, training delivery and logistics. Originally from Yorkshire, Annabel now lives in Hertfordshire and has two children at primary school and is also the chair of their PTA. Annabel is Schoolreaders' designated Safeguarding Lead. ALEXANDRA SPURGEON, Head of Fundraising Alex manages the fundraising team, who ensure Schoolreaders maintains great relationships with its supporters, and that it can continue to raise enough money to help the children who need it. Alex’s early career was in marketing within the corporate sector, before she made the decision to utilise those skills within the charity sector where she could work for the causes she felt most passionate about. She is a mother to two young children and loves spending time outdoors walking her dog. VICTORIA HARRIS, Business Support Manager Victoria manages the Business Support Team and has worked in the charity sector for over twenty years. Having grown up in Bedfordshire, she has moved nationally and internationally but now finds herself back home. Victoria lives in Bedford and has three sons, so literacy and education is very important to her. She enjoys running, travel, the arts and can be found most weekends on the rugby try line as she's a very proud Rugby mum. TRUSTEES AND ADVISERS OUR TRUSTEES AND SPECIAL ADVISERS JANE WHITBREAD Founder and Trustee See Jane's biography in 'Our Leadership Team' LUCY COPEMAN and Trustee Communications Director See Lucy's biography in 'Our Leadership Team' NICK FROY, Trustee Nick is currently a Director of Education for Unity Schools Partnership which is a medium sized Multi Academy Trust based in East Anglia which has a range of primary, secondary and special schools. Previously he was a Headteacher of Newmarket Academy which under his leadership championed the importance of reading in supporting children to fulfil their potential and achieve great outcomes. He is also a Trustee of two smaller charities; one which support mental health in children and the other which provides horse-riding opportunities for disadvantaged children. He is married with four children, lives in Cambridgeshire and is a keen cyclist. STEVEN BRYAN, Trustee Steven is a partner at the international law firm Paul Hastings LLP specialising in Corporate Law. He is a trustee of Room For Work, a charity focused on employability skills and networking for mature professionals, and is Church Warden of the parish church of St John's Hampton Wick in Hampton, Middlesex. He lives in Surrey, has three adult children and enjoys tennis, sailing, cycling, skiing, travel and art. SHANNAN STEVENSON, Vice-Chair of Trustees Shannan is a Senior Advisor at the international management consultancy firm McKinsey. Previously he was President & Company Officer at Procter & Gamble (P&G), leading organisations on the ground in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Throughout his business career, Shannan has had a keen interest in furthering the provision of core education skills amongst young people. Whilst living in China, he led P&G’s work with the China Youth Development Foundation in the provision of “Project Hope” schools for disadvantaged children. Shannan is married with four adult children and lives in Norfolk and London. HARRIETT MATHER, Special Advisor Harriett is a Managing Partner of a thriving criminal defence solicitors in Milton Keynes. She is also a Trustee of the Bedford-based community charity, the Harpur Trust. Harriet has extensive experience of safeguarding and has special responsibility for this area in her role as a Governor at Bedford Girls' School. She is also Safeguarding lead at Stony Stratford Cricket Club. RORY LANDMAN, Trustee Rory was Senior Bursar at Trinity College Cambridge until 2021. He was a Trustee of the College for over 14 years. Rory has a degree in Law from Cambridge University and qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG. He is an experienced investor in public markets, private equity and property. Among other positions, Rory has been a member of the Cambridge University Finance Committee and is a Trustee of a number of educational charities. Rory has four sons and enjoys open-air activities and music. ALICE GARNETT, Fundraising Consultant and Trustee Alice has worked in the voluntary sector for almost 30 years. She began fundraising at the RNID (now Action on Hearing Loss) before becoming Assistant Director of Fundraising at Sense where she was responsible for Corporate, Trusts, Events and Major Donor Fundraising. In 2001 she completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Voluntary Sector Management at Cass Business School then worked as a freelance consultant for 16 years, advising charities on their fundraising strategy as well as mentoring and coaching their Directors, particularly in issues related to fundraising. Past clients include Breast Cancer Haven, Thomley Activity Centre and St James School Durban. Married with three daughters, Alice is a keen flautist and a Founder Member of the King John Orchestra in Cambridge. ED SCOTT, I T Systems and Fundraising Consultant Working closely with the Management Committee, Ed has worked with the charity since 2014, helping us expand the scheme from very small beginnings to its present scale, and championing the use of new technologies to streamline our operations. With a background in IT consultancy and operations management, Edward has special expertise in developing systems and programmes aimed at improving partner engagement. Edward's earlier experience included designing a unique training programme which encouraged digital creativity in schools, in order to improve children’s literacy and pupil engagement. In his spare time, Edward is a keen runner and he recently completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon on behalf of Schoolreaders. HELEN LONG, Education and Safeguarding Advisory Group Having worked in education for almost 30 years Helen is currently a SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) in a primary school in Central Bedfordshire. She is also an advisory teacher for pupils who have Down's Syndrome, a role which enables her to work across a number of counties and to work with pupils of all ages. Helen is very involved in the Bedfordshire Down’s Syndrome Support Group and was Chair of the charity for approximately 10 years. GILLY RIACH, Education and Safeguarding Advisory Group Gilly is a Headteacher of fifteen years standing and has led four Bedfordshire schools, some of them in challenging circumstances. All have made rapid improvements. Gilly describes her primary aim as a Headteacher as the enhancement of learning for all. She particularly enjoys working in Church Schools, developing a spiritual ethos and embedding Christian values at the heart of each school. Gilly has taught at all stages of primary school, and has also taught Hearing Impaired and Language Provision children. She has spent time working as an Education Consultant, coaching and mentoring staff in schools, and leading Primary National Strategies at a local level.

Thank you to those who make our work possible We are very grateful to our many trust and foundation supporters, both those named below and those who wish to remain anonymous. These include: Suffolk Community Foundation J Reginald Corah Foundation Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation "The JR Corah Foundation Fund are extremely pleased to be able to support Schoolreaders in delivering this valuable service to school children in disadvantaged schools. All the trustees consider it a vital initiative as the ability to read is essential not only to get on in life but also to gain enormous pleasure on a personal front" - Peter Corah, For and on behalf of J Reginald Corah Foundation Fund Fowler Smith and Jones Trust “We were happy to offer grants because your message is so strong and powerful….a win-win scenario for the children in the short term, society in the long-term by having better literacy in the community, and also for the volunteers being able to put something back. Having been a magistrate for 25 years, I am only too aware of the problems of poor literacy, leading to low employability, low esteem and isolation. Schoolreaders is helping to address this in a very cost-effective way.” - Grants Administrator, Fowler Smith and Jones Trust The Lady Hind Trust "It is only now that I can look back at my own school days with disappointment, disenchantment, frustration and indeed unhappiness, and realise what went wrong. I was bright up to the age of 10, when reading did not affect my results, but after this age I just went steadily backwards to leave school at 16 with just a handful of O Levels. A few years ago, at the age of 62, I had to take a ‘Professional Examination’ and was actually tested for dyslexia - "yes, you are very dyslexic, somewhat dyspraxic, but a high IQ". Throughout life I have had to suffer these disabilities with no assistance, and I now realise that it was only my IQ that got me through. If only Schoolreaders had discovered me at a much earlier date - then I am sure my school career would have been so much happier. Thank you Schoolreaders for what you do today - I only wish you had been there 67 years ago!” - Charlie Barratt DL, Trustee, The Lady Hind Trust "Basic reading skills are all too easily overlooked in our increasingly digitised age. Schoolreaders provides an invaluable service helping to remedy the reading deficit at crucial stages in our children’s education. We felt it was important to support Schoolreaders by providing a multi-year grant to cover core expenses, to give them the security to build a strong foundation. We then renewed the multi-year grant to assist them to build out their services across the country.” - Multi-Year Foundation Supporters

Thanks for being part of our fourth annual quiz! Thank you to everyone who took part in our latest quiz, and particularly to those who generously made a donation to fund Schoolreaders' work. ​ We'll be in touch with our winners soon, but if you would like to see the quiz answers, please scroll down! ​ And, if you haven't already, please consider donating now. ​ Donate 2021 QUIZ ANSWERS 1. How big was the diamond in F Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 novella? A. As big as the Algonquin B. As big as the Ritz C. As big as the Plaza D. As big as the Biltmore As big as the Ritz ​ 2. Who started up The Reading Room, a hub for literary communities, in 2020? A. J K Rowling B. Stephen Fry C. The Duchess of Cornwall D. Margaret Atwood The Duchess of Cornwall ​ 3. Whose novels include ‘The Associate’ (2009) and ‘The Litigators’ (2011)? A. John Grisham B. Harlan Coben C. Jeffrey Archer D. Ruth Ware John Grisham ​ 4. Which line from Tennyson’s poem ‘The Lady of Shalott’ did Agatha Christie use for the title of a 1962 detective novel? A. Fields of barley B. Four gray walls C. Shadows of the world D. The mirror crack’d from side to side The mirror crack’d from side to side ​ 5. Which 1987 Haruki Murakami novel shares its title with a Beatles song? A. Paperback writer B. Blackbird C. Norwegian Wood D. A Day in the Life Norwegian Wood 6. Which God is Percy's father in Percy Jackson and the Olympians? A. Zeus B. Poseidon C. Hades D. Hermes Poseidon ​ 7. Which club features prominently in ‘Fever Pitch’, Nick Hornby’s autobiographical first novel which centres on his obsessive love for football? A. Arsenal B. Liverpool C. Queens Park Rangers D. Manchester City Arsenal LITERARY LOVERS 8. In which Jane Austen novel do Fanny Price and Edmund Bertram fall in love? ‘Mansfield Park’ (1814) ​ 9. In which 1956 novel do Pongo and Perdita raise an extended family? ‘101 Dalmations’ by Dodie Smith ​ 10. Which classic character says this? ‘Once for all; I knew to my sorrow, often and often, if not always, that I loved her against reason, against promise, against peace, against hope, against happiness, against all discouragement that could be’. Pip, in ‘Great Expectations’ by Charles Dickens ​ 11. Connell and Marianne, fellow students at a secondary school in County Sligo, Ireland, are the main protagonists in which 2018 novel by Sally Rooney? Normal People ​ 12. One of Shakespeare’s heroines is described thus; ‘Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety’. Who is she, and who falls in love with her when he sees her drift past in her gilded barge? Cleopatra and Antony BOOKS INTO FILMS 13. Bestselling novels ‘Jaws’ by Peter Benchley and ‘Jurassic Park’ by Michael Crichton were written 25 years apart, but have what in common? Both became films directed by Steven Spielberg ​ 14. Which novel, subsequently made into a film, features the stricken ship the SS Cabinet Minister, which runs aground on a Hebridean island? ‘Whisky Galore’ (1947) by Compton Mackenzie ​ 15. Written by a member of the Indian diplomatic service, what was the name of the book on which the 2008 film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ was based? ‘Q & A’ (2005) by Vikas Swarup ​ 16. Dev Patel starred in the titular role in a recent major film adaptation of which classic novel? Directed by Armando Iannucci, the film was filling cinemas just as the first Covid lockdown was announced. ‘David Copperfield’ or, to give it its full name: ‘The Personal History, Adventures, Experience and Observation of David Copperfield the Younger of Blunderstone Rookery (Which He Never Meant to Publish on Any Account)’ (1849) by Charles Dickens ​ 17. Which 1862 book by Victor Hugo, the story of an escaped convict, Jean Valjean, was turned into a 6-part BBC TV series starring Dominic West in 2018? Les Misérables ​ 18. Issac Asimov wrote a series of science fiction short stories that were assimilated into one novel, and later adapted into a film featuring Will Smith. What is the name shared by the novel and film? I, Robot PLACES 19. Who has put Matterdale on the map? James Rebanks with ‘The Shepherd’s Life’ (2015) and ‘English Pastoral’ (2020) ​ 20. Big Brother is dictator of which country in George Orwell’s 1948 novel ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’? Oceania ​ 21. In which country are Jo Nesbo’s books set? Norway ​ 22. Where did Hunter S Thompson experience Fear and Loathing in two cult 70s books? Las Vegas ​ 23. William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey were the main figures of which group of poets, named after the area in which they lived? The Lake Poets ​ 24. Who imagined a world in which Germany had won the Second World War in his 1992 novel ‘Fatherland’? Robert Harris ​ 25. Which country is Alan Paton referring to in the title of his 1948 novel, ‘Cry, the Beloved Country’? South Africa BACK TO SCHOOL 26. Which author wrote about the fictional boarding school of Malory Towers? Enid Blyton ​ 27. In Charles Dickens’ ‘Nicholas Nickleby’, what is the name of the poor schoolboy? Smike ​ 28. In a play by Christopher Marlowe, which scholar at the University of Wittenberg pledges his body and soul to the Devil in return for 24 years of being able to do whatever he likes? Dr Faustus in ‘The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus’ (1604) ​ 29. Miss Cackle’s Academy for Witches features in which children’s classic? ‘The Worst Witch’ (1974) by Jill Murphy ​ 30. Holden Caulfield runs away from Pencey Preparatory School in which American coming-of-age novel? ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ by J D Salinger, first published as a novel in 1951 ANIMALIA 31. The Hindi words for three animals, hathi, bagheera, and bhalu, were used by which author when naming some of his best-known characters? Rudyard Kipling used the Hindi animal names in the ‘Jungle Book’ (1894) ​ 32. What is the title of E B White’s novel about a pig called Wilbur and his arachnid friend? ‘Charlotte’s Web’ (1952) ​ 33. Which bird eerily utters the word ‘nevermore’ in an 1845 poem by Edgar Allan Poe? A raven ​ 34. A 2013 novel by Donna Tartt takes its name from a painting of a bird by Carel Fabritius in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Which bird is it? A goldfinch ​ 35. Only one play by Shakespeare contains the name of an animal in its title. Which play is it? ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ – probably written between 1590 and 1594 THINK OF A NUMBER 36. Add together the Bennet sisters and the Brothers Karamazov. How many have you got? 9 ​ 37. The denouement of a 1915 adventure novel by John Buchan ends on a flight of how many steps? 39. In the novel, the steps lead from a cliff top down to the sea - Buchan had been inspired by a flight that he could see from his nursing home window as he recovered from a duodenal ulcer. The famous 1978 film replaces these with the steps in Big Ben. ​ 38. In which Kurt Vonnegut novel is Billy Pilgrim a prisoner of war in Dresden? Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) ​ 39. To which address on Charing Cross Road did Helene Hanff direct her orders for books? She wrote a novel based on her 20-year correspondence with Marks & Co, antiquarian booksellers, in 1970. 84 ​ 40. How many years did Heinrich Harrer spend educating the young Dalai Lama in his Himalayan kingdom? 7 ; ‘Seven Years in Tibet’ (1952) Thank you for taking part and for supporting Schoolreaders!