Schoolreaders

Resource type: Reading support

Price band: Free

Key stage: KS1, KS2

Region(s): England

Schoolreaders recruits, places and supports volunteers to go in to local primary schools to provide one-to-one reading support.

Schoolreaders will actively recruit volunteers to meet a school’s particular requirements and schools can request as many volunteers as they need.

Volunteers commit to coming in to their partner school at the agreed time on the same day once a week for at least one hour for a full academic year from when they start. All volunteers complete a short mandatory safeguarding programme and a Reading Support Guidance course prior to starting.

Once a school has accepted a volunteer, they are responsible for carrying out an Enhanced DBS check prior to the volunteer’s start in school. The school is also responsible for carrying out safeguarding training and for providing any additional guidance that the volunteer may require.

Cost: Free (schools cover the costs of the volunteer’s enhanced DBS check).

About Schoolreaders: Schoolreaders was established in 2013. It currently has over 2700 volunteers and works with schools across England. More than 1 in 6 primary schools in England are currently Schoolreader partner schools.

Literacy Hive Likes:

Schoolreaders’ free service is open to all schools, regardless of their financial situation.
Schools can create a team of volunteers to work with children from a wide range of age groups and with a wide range of reading abilities.
Schools are allocated a contact at Schoolreaders central office to offer support and deal with any queries or situations that might arise.
In 2023, 88% of teachers said that volunteers had a positive impact on children’s reading ages, and 91% said that children’s confidence and self esteem had improved as a result of working with a volunteer.