Around a quarter of all children left primary school last year unable to read well. These children are at a disadvantage because they are unable to access their secondary education properly, and this has lifelong consequences.

If you have some time to spare, a good grasp of written English, and if you enjoy spending time with children, you could become a Schoolreader. Our volunteers visit primary schools to listen to children read.

We do not ask for any particular educational qualifications. Our volunteers are drawn from all walks of life, and range in age from 18 to 92. Our volunteers get enormous pleasure from seeing the difference that a few hours of their time can make to a child's reading ability, confidence and enjoyment. In order to provide consistent help to the children and school, we ask that our volunteers are prepared to attend school at the agreed time on the same day once a week for at least 1 hour, and stay with us for at least one full academic year from when you start in school. Many volunteers are at school for longer than 1 hour and some also go on multiple days. The time commitment is arranged to suit the volunteers availability and the schools’ need.

We will require you to agree to our Code of Conduct and have an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check carried out.