Our Reader Leader mentoring programme for primary and secondary schools helps to support a culture of reading across a school.
We know that when young children close their literacy gap, they become more confident, more resilient and more ambitious for themselves. This progress can have a profound and positive impact on the rest of their learning.
Reader Leader training can be delivered in both primary and secondary schools. We recommend that the Leaders are Year 10 or Year 12 in secondary school and Year 5 or Year 6 in primary schools. The training is a full day for secondary students and a morning for primary students. Once set up, the programme usually runs for 18 weeks or more and is managed by the school.
The Reader Leader programme offers schools the opportunity to embed a school culture of reading, and ties in with the National Year of Reading, and is also an excellent volunteering option for secondary school pupils doing their Duke of Edinburgh award.
“The delivery of the Reader Leader training was engaging, energetic and warm. Everything was relevant and explained in detail. There was a perfect balance between the presentation, discussion and activities.
This course was exceptional—the best I’ve observed in my 25-year teaching career.
The impact has been incredible and immediate. Many of the Year 7s who were involved in the training day read aloud in class the very next day with more confidence, volume, pace and expression. They are excited to continue on their journey.”
The Leaders learn how to be reading mentors and gain knowledge in phonics, word knowledge and the reading process as well as understanding barriers to learning and how to be an effective mentor. The training is fully supported with information packs and resources.
Teachers say Reader Leader helps to embed a culture of reading across a school: giving older students invaluable skills and raising literacy levels for younger pupils, allowing them to engage more effectively with their studies.