2023/24
We want every child to read.
A message from the CEO
As I reflect on the achievements of Bookmark Reading Charity over the 2023/24 academic year, I am struck by the progress we have made together. This has been a pivotal year for us, marked by the creation of our new three-year strategy which will see us broaden and deepen our impact on children’s literacy. Guided by our unwavering belief that every child deserves the chance to read, this strategy will drive our efforts to dismantle barriers to literacy for the most disadvantaged children. Our commitment to evaluating and continuously improving our work led to a significant milestone this year: an independent study conducted by ImpactEd on the effectiveness of our One-to-one Reading Programme. The findings underscored the power of one-to-one reading support in transforming children’s lives. Participating children increased their standardised reading scores by an average of 5.8 points over the year, highlighting the dedication of our volunteers and the efficacy of our tailored approach. It is especially encouraging to see that children eligible for pupil premium made even greater gains as we work to close the literacy gap for those most in need.
We are also proud to have delivered an unprecedented 43,779 one-to-one reading sessions, demonstrating the incredible dedication of our volunteers to provide tailored support to the children who need us the most.
“ We are proud to have delivered an unprecedented 43,779 one-to-one reading sessions, demonstrating the incredible dedication of our volunteers.”
Emily Jack
To improve children’s literacy and promote a culture of reading for pleasure in primary schools, we launched two new initiatives this year: the Literacy Partner Programme and the Story Starter Programme The Literacy Partner Programme offers bespoke, multi-year grants and tailored action plans to schools in disadvantaged communities. Furthermore the Story Starter Programme has been designed to engage children aged 4-5 in reading from an early age, fostering a love of books and encouraging parental involvement at this crucial stage of development. Together, these initiatives reflect our holistic approach to building rich reading cultures in primary schools to ensure children have a fairer start in life.
The stories of children like Mia and Jack who made remarkable strides in reading and self-confidence, remind us of the impact we are making. Through each of our 10 programmes, we aim to foster a love of reading that will transform educational outcomes and empower generations to come.
The progress we have made this year would not have been possible without our volunteers, supporters, partners and schools. Together, we are changing children’s stories and building a future where every child can read. As we embark on our next chapter, I look forward to working with all of you to create an even greater impact.
Emily Jack Bookmark CEO
At a glance
We reached 505 primary schools this year, located in some of the most disadvantaged communities across the country.
We provided a range of literacy programmes, benefitting
94,385 children* That’s more than enough to fill Wembley Stadium!
Our programmes to promote a whole-school reading culture were expanded this year.
We delivered:
57,892 high-quality books through the Your Story Corner Programme, Bookmark Book Booster and Rocket Packs
Our One-to-one Reading Programme was delivered in 146 schools, supporting 1,842 children with the help of 1,726 volunteers. reading sessions
43,779 were delivered of surveyed teachers noticed an increase 94% in children’s reading confidence of surveyed teachers noticed an increase 93% in children’s enjoyment of reading
146 primary schools received our One-to-one Reading Programme
505 primary schools reached this year in total
447,600 copies of The Story Corner magazine
1,455
Story Starter packs to support reading in the Early Years Foundation Stage If all those books were stacked it would be higher than the tallest building in the world! (The Burj Khalifa in Dubai)
The impact of our One-to-one Reading Programme was investigated by ImpactEd, an educational research organisation. They reported that children on our programme increased their standardised reading score by an average of 5.8 throughout the year. Read more on page 13
Our programmes had a positive impact on children’s reading.
99% of surveyed teachers reported that the free books and resources from our Your Story Corner Programme made a positive difference to children’s enjoyment of reading
74% of surveyed teachers reported that the Your Story Corner Programme made a positive difference to how often children read at school
We also launched our new Literacy Partner Programme, which will provide bespoke support to select partner schools that face barriers to building their whole-school reading culture.
Literacy landscape
The current state of children’s literacy
In England, more than 1 in 4 children leave primary school unable to read well. This is even greater for children who are considered disadvantaged.1
Recent SATs data reveals that more than a third (38%) of disadvantaged children failed to reach the expected reading standard this year, compared to 20% of their peers.2
Children who struggle to read in primary school face difficulties across the curriculum, which can lead to poorer educational outcomes. This, in turn, results in lower literacy in adulthood, which is linked to economic instability, poor health and reduced wellbeing.3
The challenge is clear.
Why are so many children not reaching the expected reading standard and what can we do to address it?
The role of reading for pleasure
Research consistently shows that children who choose to read for pleasure develop their reading skills and are more likely to achieve better educational outcomes overall.4
Reading for pleasure is associated with improved wellbeing and increased self-esteem, making it a powerful tool for children’s holistic development.5 Fostering children’s enjoyment of reading is widely recognised as a key strategy for improving children’s literacy.6
Yet, the number of children who enjoy reading has dropped to its lowest level in nearly two decades. The National Literacy Trust (NLT) surveyed 76,000 children and young people across the UK, with two-thirds saying they don’t enjoy reading.7 The NLT found that children who do enjoy reading, and who choose to read daily, had higher average standardised reading scores than those who don’t.
We know that the decline in reading for pleasure is a significant factor in the current state of children’s literacy. Reversing the trend is key to improving children’s literacy outcomes and breaking the cycle of disadvantage.
Our approach
We deliver programmes that align with our five pathways to reading.
By supporting schools to develop their wholeschool reading culture, all children can receive the benefits linked to reading for pleasure. This approach harnesses the positive effects of reading for pleasure to improve children’s literacy.
In England, more than 1 in 4 children leave primary school unable to read well
Our five pathways to reading
We have five evidence-based approaches promote reading for pleasure. Our are designed to help schools overcome barriers to implementing these pathways.
One-to-one reading support and positive role
models
One-to-one reading is an effective intervention to support the development of reading skills, particularly for children who are struggling.9
Schools understand the benefits of one-to-one reading time. Yet with limited funding, staffing shortages and the constraints of a set curriculum, it is hard for them to provide children with additional time to read.
One in four (23%) children and young people say no one inspires them to read.10
This is where our One-to-one Reading Programme comes in.
We provide one-to-one reading time that focuses on developing reading confidence, enjoyment and skills with a positive role model.
Engaging reading spaces and high-quality, diverse reading resources
Children need access to a wide variety of reading materials that reflect their own identities and interests. Book diversity is essential. Children need to see characters who reflect their own experiences, as well as those who are different from them.11
Far too many children in the UK do not have adequate access to books. In 2023, 1 in 5 children aged 5 to 8 didn’t own a book. Disadvantaged children who receive free school meals were twice as likely to be without one, compared to their peers.12 This issue is exacerbated by a shortage of school libraries. A 2022 survey showed that 1 in 7 primary schools across the UK had no library space. This figure rose to 1 in 6 for schools in disadvantaged communities.13
The books that are available to children often lack diversity, and many children do not see themselves in what they read.
Half of children aged 8 to 11 have difficulty finding books that include characters or people like them.14
We curate and deliver new, high-quality and diverse books and reading resources, including our termly magazine, The Story Corner, and create engaging reading spaces.
Creating a reading buzz across the whole school
It’s important to elevate the status of reading in schools. Activities and events help promote reading as a pleasurable and exciting activity.
Children’s poet and author Laura Mucha visited one of our partner schools and said:
“It’s always a privilege to deliver an interactive session with children to celebrate and engage them in creating poetry. I hope their new books and their work with Bookmark Reading Charity helps to build excitement about reading and their own creative writing.”
We organise events, such as book clubs and author visits, to generate a buzz around reading.
Teacher training and resources
Teacher knowledge is fundamental to implementing a culture that supports reading for pleasure in schools. Training is key, but when schools are understaffed and underresourced, they do not have the opportunity to pursue this training.
We provide grants, literacy consultancy and training resources, focusing on facilitating teacher training and access to CPD.
Family and parental engagement
Family and parental engagement in education has a strong influence on children’s literacy outcomes. This might be a parent reading with their child, or a parent’s own beliefs about the importance of reading.15
A lack of family and parental engagement is commonly reported by teachers at our partner schools.
We collaborate with schools to promote family and parental engagement. This includes providing grant funding for projects in schools and distributing books and resources that support parental engagement.
Supporting a culture of reading at Paxton Academy
We have been supporting Paxton Academy for the past five years, delivering a range of literacy programmes to develop a rich reading culture across the school.
During this time, Paxton’s reading culture has improved significantly. Teachers can recall a time when there was not a single reading book on shelves. Now, as Ofsted noted in its most recent report: “This school lives and breathes reading.”
We spoke to Samantha, the reading lead at Paxton, about the impact of our support this year.
One-to-one Reading Programme
In the last year, 66% of children at Paxton were eligible for pupil premium funding. We know that disadvantaged children are less likely to meet the expected standard in reading and are more likely to be affected by factors that contribute to poor literacy During this time, children received over 200 reading sessions through our One-to-one Reading Programme Each session is an opportunity to have dedicated time to read with a trained Bookmark volunteer.
After completing our programme, Year 3 children who were reading below the expected standard showed noticeable improvements in their fluency by Year 4: “The children in Year 4 that have now moved on [from Bookmark] were smashing their fluency to the point we were like, ‘...something has drastically changed’.”
Samantha asserts that it came down to them getting that extra time to read.
There are many success stories. Samantha shares how two Year 3 children, put forward because they are reading below the expected level, have benefitted from the programme.
The first is Theo.* English is not his first language, and he doesn’t read at home. ‘His enjoyment and smiles’ during the reading sessions with his volunteer have been noticed by Samantha. Theo tells his volunteer about what he is learning in class, and his volunteer looks for related books so they can read them together. It’s encouraging for his teachers to see the connection Theo makes between his classroom learning and his time reading with his volunteer.
Chloe* finds her classroom lessons difficult and is very reluctant to go to school, but she enjoys her one-to-one reading sessions. She is motivated to come to school and get through the school day because she looks forward to the time with her Bookmark volunteer after lunch.
Their Year 3 teacher says all the children come back with a skip in their step. “You can see that they really enjoy it,” Samantha adds.
“ The children in Year 4 that have now moved on [from Bookmark] were smashing their fluency.”
Whole-school reading culture
To improve reading on a whole school level, in addition to our One-to-one Reading Programme, Paxton receives high-quality books, reading resources and The Story Corner magazine.
Rocket Packs are termly deliveries of new, highquality and diverse books. Each of the packs is centred on a different theme. They bolster the variety and diversity of reading resources at Paxton and present opportunities for children to become excited about new books. Children read them during their reading sessions. They’re also located around the school, in corridors, where children who ‘need five minutes to themselves can pick up those books and have a look’.
The diversity of the books means every child can find themselves represented. Samantha explains that the variety supports reading at all levels – it’s not just stories, but non-fiction too. “Everyone can enjoy the books,” she says.
The Story Corner magazine also creates excitement around reading. The magazine is used as a resource in class. Children discuss the stories and play the games together, after which they’re eager to take them home.
Many children not reading at the expected level do not have opportunities to read at home. Now, some have their own collection of the magazine. The school also distributes our reading scrapbooks to encourage children to read more at home. Samantha says: “The scrapbook has impacted home life and encouraged children to do more reading.”
This year, for the first time, Paxton received our Story Starter packs. This new initiative for Early Years Foundation Stage is designed to excite children about reading from an early age. It also supports parents to read with their children at home. “It’s going to show parents that we take reading seriously here,” says Samantha.
By providing one-to-one reading support and high-quality, diverse reading resources, we’re helping the school to develop a whole-school reading culture. “We try to emphasise reading here,” says Samantha. “The fact that Bookmark can help us with that is just amazing. You work alongside what we do.”
Samantha, reading lead at Paxton Academy
One-to-one Reading Programme
We reached 2,056 children through our One-to-one Reading Programme this year and 1,842 children completed at least one reading programme with a Bookmark volunteer * .
The support we provided
Children each received an average of 21 one-to-one reading sessions –up from 17 the previous year. This has meant a decrease in the total number of children supported, but an increase in the level of support given to each child. Our study with ImpactEd explored how reading scores improved based on the level of support children received. It found that children who completed any number of our programmes recorded increases of at least 4.4 in their standardised reading score. Pupils who had completed four programmes recorded the largest increase of 12.1 (see page 13).
Our impact
Teachers at our partner schools have seen the impact of our One-to-one Reading Programme on the children who participate.
99% of teachers felt it made a positive difference to children
97% of teachers agreed it gave children an opportunity to discover the joy of reading
Our programme is underpinned by a reading for pleasure approach and promotes positive reading attitudes, behaviours and skills in children. Evidence shows that this supports reading attainment and has additional benefits for children’s success in school and life.
The children we supported
We encourage teachers to put forward children they think will benefit most from the programme. This includes children in Years 1 to 5 who are not yet meeting the expected standard, lack confidence, are disengaged with their reading, or do not have regular time reading one-to-one with an adult.
We aim to meet the needs of children who face the greatest barriers, and for whom the benefits of reading can be the most transformative.
Of the children who completed our reading programme:
of teachers noticed an increase in reading confidence
93% of teachers noticed an increase in reading enjoyment
* This year, a programme was considered complete if a child participated in 6 to 12 sessions (previously it was 8 to 12 sessions). We have made this change based on the findings from our research with ImpactEd. Read more on page 13.
** We calculated the national average of children eligible for pupil premium with publicly available data on schools in England. This data was extracted from the Department for Education in August 2024.
75% of teachers noticed an increase in reading skills
73% of teachers noticed an increase in motivation to read
Teachers and volunteers both highlight the programme’s positive and varied benefits:
“ The children who have been involved in the Bookmark reading sessions have been making fantastic progress in their reading comprehension assessments and their fluency has improved brilliantly!”
Teacher at our partner school
“
The enjoyment it brings
to
the children’s
wonderful.
make
reading
is
The volunteers
this so different from other school-based interventions.”
Teacher at our partner school
Impact on children’s attainment
We completed a year-long study on children’s reading attainment to evaluate the effectiveness of our One-to-one Reading Programme.
We conducted this research with ImpactEd, a non-profit that works in partnership with schools and education organisations to support high-quality monitoring and evaluation.
Standardised reading score data from children at 18 of our partner schools was collected and analysed. This included 265 children who had been selected for our programme and 648 children who were not. Standardised reading scores indicate how a child is performing in relation to the national average. A score of 100 indicates that a child is reading in line with the national average. The scores take into account age and progress over time. Any increase in a standardised reading score indicates that children have made more progress than would be expected.
“I saw how my reader went from being very shy to being very engaged, especially in the activity part. We found games that helped him become more engaged in his reading comprehension. The results were amazing.”
Bookmark volunteer
Children’s progress in reading
We collect reading level data for children before they begin our programme and at the end of the year. This is used to compare children’s reading levels before and after they receive our support. Many of the children we support are falling behind. With our help, 96% of children on the programme maintained or improved their reading level this year.* What’s more, 45% moved up a reading level.
One teacher from a partner school said:
“Completing Bookmark has enabled them to be either at the age related level or keep up and not fall further behind.”
Another teacher explained:
“About half [of pupils] have made the expected progress and all the rest have made accelerated progress. It has been absolutely brilliant for all of them.”
We are interested in understanding more about how our programme supports children’s reading attainment and have investigated this further in our study with ImpactEd.
5.8 6.7 0.8
Children who participated in our programme increased their score by an average of 5.8 over the year
Key findings:
Children eligible for pupil premium increased their score by 6.7 over the academic year
• Children who participated in our programme increased their score by an average of 5.8 over the year. Children on the programme began the year with an average score of 91.2, which was below the national average. By the end of the academic year, the average score increased to 97. This indicates that children on our programme improved their reading ability more than anticipated throughout the year and became much closer to the national average.
• Children who were eligible for pupil premium improved their score more than their non-eligible peers. Children eligible for pupil premium increased their score by 6.7 over the academic year, whereas their non-eligible peers’ score increased by 5.4. The gap between the two groups’ scores had narrowed by the end of the year to 0.8.
The gap between children eligible for pupil premium and their non-eligible peers’ score narrowed by the end of the year to 0.8 from 2.1
• Children who completed at least one of our reading programmes increased their score more than children who were selected to take part but did not complete any. Children who did not complete a programme, because they participated in too few sessions, recorded a small increase (+0.2) in their score. Those who completed any number of programmes recorded increases of at least 4.4, with children who completed four programmes recording the largest increase, by 12.1.
• Children who participated in 6-12 sessions recorded a consistent average increase in reading score. Those who completed 1-5 sessions in a single programme recorded less consistent changes. Encouraging children to complete a minimum of six sessions increases the likelihood of them improving their reading score.
We are pleased to share the full report, which details these findings and more, alongside our reflections on what this means for us. You can access it at www.bookmarkreading.org/our-vision/ our-impact/research
* The expected reading level is age-related and changes throughout the year as children are expected to progress. Children who maintain their reading level still improve their reading ability.
Accelerated progress in reading at Kearsley West Primary School
At Kearsley West Primary School, the children receiving our support have made accelerated progress.
This means they are making progress more quickly than those already at the age-related standard of reading, narrowing the gap between their performance and the expected standard.
Kearsley West – a partner school since 2022 – is in a deprived area of Bolton. Although it is a mainstream school, rather than a special school tailored to support children with additional needs, 32% of children enrolled have special educational needs (SEN). This is well above the national average of 18%. In addition, 34% of children are eligible for free school meals (FSM), compared to the national average of 24.6%. This results in many challenges, which the school must overcome to make sure each child has the right support for them.
The school focuses on one-to-one reading support as most of the children cannot access it at home. It runs over 40 of our reading programmes each term, across four different year groups.
Mia* arrived at Kearsley West in Year 3, unable to speak English. Learning the language was difficult as both her parents spoke little English. She worked hard in daily reading and phonics lessons and started our programme to boost her confidence.
With the help of our programme, Mia’s spoken English has improved, which, in turn, has improved her reading and writing. When Mia started the programme, she was a whole year behind her peers in reading. Since then, she has made four terms’ progress in three terms. Her teacher says: “Mia has grown hugely in confidence and was today awarded class star for her huge academic and personal progress.”
Another child, Jack,* was also struggling with his reading. According to his teacher, Jack was ‘initially a very reluctant learner and [his] mum could not get him to engage with any learning outside the immediate classroom context’. He started the year significantly behind the expected standard. He continued to fall even further behind, making only half the progress expected of him in the autumn term.
After he began our reading programme in the spring term, Jack made two terms’ progress in one term – double the progress expected of him. His teacher says: “Jack’s attitude to his learning has improved greatly. He thrives from the personal one-to-one support and his confidence means that he is tackling independent activities such as homework much more effectively.”
For children like Mia or Jack who have not yet reached the expected standard, the gap between their performance and the expected attainment is significantly narrowed by taking part in our programme. Often, teachers at Kearsley West will continue to enroll a child on the programme until they reach the expected standard for their age.
There are other benefits too. Rebecca, Deputy Headteacher at Kearsley West, explains that when the children improve in their reading, there is often progress across the curriculum, including in their writing. It is a huge confidence boost for children to catch up to their peers and then to make progress in their writing too.
The other significant outcomes Rebecca notes are ‘confidence in reading and the knowledge that somebody cares and wants to listen to them read’. It is meaningful, to both the school and the children, that they have ‘an adult [who] cares about them enough to give up their time’.
It is amazing to see the progress children are making through our reading programme. The impact this has on them is ‘almost immeasurable’, says Rebecca.
“Jack’s attitude to his learning has improved greatly. He thrives from the personal one-to-one support and his confidence means that he is tackling independent activities such as homework much more effectively.”
Teacher from Kearsley West Primary School
Building rich reading cultures
A whole-school reading culture puts reading at the heart of learning and celebrates, champions and encourages reading at every opportunity. Our partner schools have described what a whole-school reading culture means to them.
Children are given opportunities to read a variety of texts, which inspire them to read often and with enjoyment. Children, and adults, are engaged readers and talk about books while excitement about reading spreads.
It is a ‘golden thread’ that is woven into the daily lives of children, throughout the school (in classrooms, embedded in the curriculum and beyond) and at home.
All staff, children and parents are bought into the importance of reading, creating a community of readers and making it part of the school’s ethos.
A whole-school reading culture empowers students to become confident, independent, lifelong readers and supports reading for pleasure for generations to come*.
Your Story Corner Programme
Your Story Corner Programme creates engaging reading spaces by providing high-quality books, reading resources and teacher CPD materials to schools in disadvantaged areas. This year, we launched the Your Story Corner Programme into three new areas, distributing 45,600 books across 228 schools. The total value of the books and resources donated through the programme was £456,000.
We surveyed teachers across the areas where we delivered the programme. According to their feedback:
99% of teachers reported that the books and resources made a positive difference to children’s enjoyment of reading
95% of teachers reported that the free books and resources made a positive difference in children’s motivation to read
93% of teachers were inspired to develop either their school’s reading for pleasure provision, their reading spaces or their wider whole-school reading culture because of the Your Story Corner Programme
74% of teachers reported that the Your Story Corner Programme made a positive difference to how often children read at school
Book Booster & Rocket Packs
We also delivered books each term through Bookmark Book Booster and Rocket Packs.
Bookmark Book Booster Packs are carefully curated book packs, which include up to 200 copies of The Story Corner magazine, delivered to schools within a specific regional area each term. The packs were delivered to 47 schools in Islington and 64 schools in Medway last year, providing 4,842 books and reading resources worth £40,350.
We sent 385 Rocket Packs this year. This included nonfiction-themed Rocket Packs in the autumn, followed by packs in the spring containing picture books for all ages. Summer packs, themed ‘Books with a Sprinkle of Magic’, landed in September.
The Story Corner magazine
We celebrated our 10th issue of The Story Corner magazine this year and sent 447,600 copies across school and community-based settings.
We launched our early years edition of the magazine, which was included in our Story Starter packs, and our graphic novel edition is going live in autumn 2024/25. This brings the number of magazines distributed since the launch in 2020 to 895,200.
Here is how one teacher conveyed the impact of the Your Story Corner Programme in their school:
“More children are now choosing to access the reading corners. They are so enthusiastic about the new texts and have enjoyed reading them for pleasure.
The variety of texts provided supported all children and they were adapted for all key stages, with a range of fiction and non-fiction texts.”
Teacher from Barking & Dagenham
The Story Corner magazine provides a resource for:
• children to read at school and at home, breaking down barriers to book ownership in the UK
• children to read with their parents and families, which schools can use to engage parents
• teachers to use in class to promote engagement with and excitement for reading
We are encouraged by the many ways the magazines are used to support reading for pleasure and the feedback we have received from teachers on its impact:
“The Story Corner magazines are amazing! The cover on the latest issue was beautiful. They are used during parent library sessions and given out to the school reading ambassadors, as well as displayed in the library and around school.
The Year 5 children were all also given a copy each to take home. The children love it, the staff love it, and the parents love it!”
Teacher from one of our partner schools
Book clubs
We delivered our Comic Book Club to 13 partner schools this year. Each club provides an opportunity for up to 20 children to participate – a total of 260 children across all clubs this year.
Some teachers replenish the supplies for the club and continue to offer it to even more children because it becomes embedded in their schools reading culture. Our next club, Fact-Finding Club, is being developed and will launch this year. This new pack will provide a reading club for reluctant readers, focused on non-fiction.
Story Starter Programme
Each Comic Book Club provision includes:
30 fine black ink pens
30 pencils
60 colouring pencils
40 graphic novels
20 scrapbooks
plus one year’s subscription to The Phoenix weekly magazine, a teaching booklet with guidance for the 10 planned sessions and links to additional resources.
Teachers’ feedback conveys its value for promoting reading for pleasure:
“Are [the children] engaging in the books? Yes. Empathy? Yes. Book talk? Yes. Do they understand more about how a graphic novel works? Absolutely. It ticks a lot of the reading for pleasure boxes.”
“I can’t believe how many graphic novels have turned up. Some of them I know are £13/£14 each. We would never ever be able to do that; it would take years! The teacher who runs it is sometimes busy, so I jump in. It’s great that I can look at the notes and run with it.”
We launched our Story Starter Programme before the summer holidays. We sent out packs to 1,445 children aged 4-5 to help them start their reading journey as transitioned to our partner schools.
“ The children activities that were included in them and were excited to share the books with their parents. The finger puppets were especially enjoyed as they could use them to retell stories. Parents were very thankful and loved that the children were starting school with different things that they could use at home to further develop their storytelling skills and their language and communication skills.”
Teacher from one of our partner schools
The National Literacy Trust shares that:
“Children who struggle with language at age 5 are five times more likely to fail to reach the expected standard in English aged 11 (23% vs 4%).” 18
We have received promising early feedback which indicates that the programme will have a positive effect on promoting reading from a young age and supporting parental and family engagement with reading.
Grants and Support Programme
We provide schools with grants and access to memberships with third-party organisations to help them embed a whole-school reading culture. We also run webinars, distribute videos and provide other resources to help with teacher training.
This year, we offered 38 grants across our partner schools. These grants will support literacy projects at the start of the new academic year.
We also spent time evaluating our one-off grants delivered in the previous academic year to consider how we can best support our partner schools in the future. In 2022/23, we awarded five schools £5,000 each to help them build their whole-school reading culture. And we delivered 14 grants of up to £500 for teacher training.
Bradley Primary, Lancashire
At Bradley Primary in Lancashire, our grant supported projects that improved parental and family engagement:
“We have found that our parents want to help their children but didn’t know how.
Initially, many of our parents saw reading as something children did at school. We now have many more parents listening to their children read [and] reading or telling stories to them. Parents are more engaged with the children’s reading and want to support them – I have 30 parents coming into school to join in with my class as they learn phonics.
The younger children were delighted to see their parents in school and joining in with the stories. Our librarian ensured that the parents joined in with any roleplay or fun activities. Parents have talked about how they can now use the storytelling skills at home… we have had more parents coming into school than ever before.”
£5,000 awarded to five schools to help them build their whole-school reading culture
Literacy Partner Programme
We launched our multi-year Literacy Partner Programme grants in the summer term. We worked with 40 schools to develop two-year action plans to deliver improvements in whole-school reading culture. These action plans are each accompanied by targeted funding of up to £10,000 per school.
Our evaluation found that the grants programme effectively promoted a whole-school reading culture with positive impacts identified for individual pupils and for schools overall. This funding has led to:
• a shared excitement of reading in schools
• greater engagement in reading
• improved wellbeing
• boys more encouraged to read
• greater parental involvement
• some early links to increased attainment
Our learnings from delivering these grants inspired and influenced the development of the Literacy Partner Programme.
Bramley Park Academy, Leeds
At Bramley Park Academy in Leeds, our grant supported teacher training, which led to an improved reading culture:
“We had an Ofsted visit in March 2023 and were highly commended for our reading offer. A quote from our Ofsted report states, ‘Leaders have prioritised reading. This is a school where reading sits at the heart of the learning that pupils do. Books are celebrated and enjoyed. Pupils talk about how much they enjoy reading and their favourite authors and books’.”
Our Literacy Partner Programme is also an incubator for developing and evaluating new service lines. This gives us the opportunity to test different ways of embedding a whole-school reading culture in a school. Once new service lines have been tested on a small scale, and an effective impact has been seen, these service lines can be offered as part of one or more of our programmes.
So far, we’ve developed a suite of services that align with our five pathways to reading. After reviewing applications and conducting interviews, we provided a detailed and tailored action plan to our first 40 schools.
We worked with 40 schools to develop two-year action plans to deliver improvements in whole-school reading culture
Rachel Pennock, Assistant Headteacher at Churchfield Primary School, shares her experience.
What do you think of the programme?
“We are at the beginning of our journey with the Bookmark Literacy Partner Programme; however, already our expectations have been surpassed. My headteacher and I were taken aback when we read through the two-year plan and saw not only the whole range of support, resources and opportunities that were being offered to us, but how closely they aligned with our school’s specific areas of need.”
What challenges do you experience when trying to build a whole-school reading culture?
“I think the biggest barrier for my school is the low starting points many of our children are faced with and supporting both the children, and the wider school community beyond, to see the value in reading and how it can support social, emotional and academic development. Many of the children across our school cannot read at age-related expectations, and, consequently, shy away from reading, as it is often out of their grasp and becomes associated as a chore and hard work. My hope with the Bookmark Literacy Partner Programme is that we can begin shifting these mindsets and making reading accessible to everyone and a desire for everyone.”
Methodology Recommending Bookmark
How we measure our impact
Our evaluation is guided by our theory of change. We measure the programme outcomes we believe will lead us to the impact we want to achieve. You can find our theory of change online.
We measure the impact our One-to-one Reading Programme has on children’s reading attitudes, behaviours, skills and attainment through:
• a survey completed by teachers each term
• a survey completed by volunteers after each programme
• pre-intervention and end-of-year reading-level data for children supported by the programme
This indicates if a child is reading:
1 below the expected level
2 working towards the expected level
3 at the expected level
4 working towards above the expected level
5 above the expected level
We measure the impact that our whole-school reading culture programmes have on reading for pleasure with our five pathways to reading in mind.
We use:
• surveys completed by teachers before and after receiving support
• a survey completed by teachers with their pupils before and after receiving support
We collect feedback on the experience of our partner schools through termly surveys and checkin meetings, and our volunteers through an annual survey. The feedback collected informs our continuous improvement priorities.
We conduct interviews, focus groups and case studies as needed.
This provides us with a wealth of quantitative and qualitative data, which we use to evaluate our programmes throughout the year.
Capturing children’s perspectives
This year, we sought to improve our approach to collecting data from the children we support. In collaboration with reading charity Chapter One, we worked with an independent consultant to understand how we can bring children’s voices into our evaluation work in a robust and thoughtful manner. Our consultant, Dr Yaspia Salema, is a lecturer in Education at UCL, interested in research with children.
As organisations with similar goals, we were able to learn from one another and from Dr Salema, as we considered the best approaches to conducting surveys, case studies and focus groups with children.
We will be implementing a new approach, which aligns with the recommendations from this year-long project, in the coming year. This will allow us to better understand our impact through the experience of the children on our programmes.
Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a key indicator of the quality of our programmes and the experience our partner schools and volunteers have with us. Our NPS is determined by asking how likely someone is to recommend us.
An NPS is a number from -100 to +100:19
• 0 or more is good
• 20+ is favourable
• 50+ is excellent
• 80+ is world class
NPS from partner schools
NPS from volunteers who completed a reading programme
“It
has been an absolute pleasure to work in partnership with Bookmark and provide a platform for our most vulnerable readers to develop confidence and a love of reading.”
Teacher from one of our partner schools
We are proud of these results, which indicate that we provide excellent support and programmes.
“ The support offered by the team at Bookmark is outstanding.”
Teacher from one of our partner schools
“It’s very rewarding knowing that you are helping a young child to read and gain confidence.”
Bookmark volunteer
“ Volunteering with Bookmark has been a great experience. The Bookmark team make it very comfortable and inclusive.”
Bookmark volunteer
Our volunteers Our corporate supporters
Our volunteers are at the heart of our One-to-one Reading Programme. They come from all ages and walks of life: from our youngest volunteers who are 16 years old, to those who continue to offer their time and experience past the age of 90.
Our volunteers report that they are motivated by our cause and have a desire to improve things and help others.* The impact our programme has on children’s reading is a testament to their efforts.
This year:
1,726
95%
1,226 new volunteers joined us, bringing our community to a total of 2,916 volunteers volunteers participated in our One-to-one Reading Programme during the 2023/24 academic year of volunteers agreed that volunteering with Bookmark made them feel like they were making a difference
“The volunteers are highly engaged, consistent, flexible and brilliant motivators. We are very lucky to have such a brilliant group of volunteers to help read with the children.”
Teacher from one of our partner schools
We also have many supporters who volunteer their time in other ways. This includes packing boxes of books and reading resources, completing library tidies or participating in community fundraising events.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time to us this year. We’re proud of your dedication and the contribution you make to improving children’s literacy.
Reading Mentor Programme
This year we developed our Reading Mentor Programme, which supports 16 to 18-year-olds to volunteer through our One-to-one Reading Programme.
We met with a group of our reading mentors from Westminster School in London. They shared that volunteering helped them to develop key skills such as communication, leadership and time management. They also found that their ability to encourage and relate to their readers helped foster a positive reading experience for the children they supported.
Solly Hardwick, Teacher of English at Westminster School: “Here at Westminster, we’ve had a huge uptake from sixth formers who want to use their talents to help other young people in the local area. From speaking to them, they’ve loved the profound personal connection that one-to-one reading creates; they tell me how excited the children are, and how meaningful it is to help them with their education.
The local school has been full of praise for the programme: one teacher told me about a pupil who used to hate reading, who now picks up a book in the mornings and reads with gusto. It has not only helped with confidence and enthusiasm; many pupils have leaped through several reading stages through this intervention alone.
Bookmark helps to connect young people in different stages of their development and allows them to help each other. Their pupils learn crucial literacy skills, and our students develop their ability to empathise, educate, and inspire. It has been a formative experience for everyone involved, and I hope we can continue to grow these relationships and put our wonderful pupils to good use in the community.”
* This data was collected from volunteers in July 2024 through our annual survey.
Our corporate partnerships provide meaningful impact and are a key component of our success.
We are thankful to our partners and their employees for fundraising and volunteering to supercharge our work. We look forward to strengthening these relationships in 2024/25, so we can support even more children to read.
Our partnership with the DHL UK Foundation
We launched our partnership with the DHL UK Foundation in April 2023 to ensure that disadvantaged young people have access to the best possible education and develop an essential life skill of reading. Over the three years of our partnership, DHL UK Foundation is generously supporting us with an annual donation of £100,000 and employees are being trained to become volunteers on our One-to-one Reading Programme, complementing the fantastic work the foundation is already doing with the GoTeach programme.
As a key strategic partner, DHL UK Foundation has helped us to scale our reach in new communities. In the last two years we have expanded into areas such as Nottingham, Sheffield and Wolverhampton, deepening our impact within schools that need us most.
So far, 61 wonderful DHL employees have participated in our One-to-one Reading Programme, helping build children’s reading skills and confidence. We’re delighted to share that DHL employees have delivered over 700 reading sessions to date, reaching 84 children in disadvantaged communities. We can’t thank the employees enough for dedicating their time to help children discover the joy of reading.
Caroline Courtois, CEO of the DHL UK Foundation, said: “We are proud to partner with Bookmark on their mission to improve children’s literacy, enabling them to achieve their full potential. It has also been heart-warming to see DHL employees joining us in this mission by using their time and skills to support a young child with their reading. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this fantastic programme.”
We’re incredibly thankful to the DHL UK Foundation and all our partners for their support in 2023/24 and look forward to continuing our partnership to reach more disadvantaged children over the coming year.
DHL UK Foundation is generously supporting us with an annual donation of £100,000 and employees are being trained to become volunteers
Our supporters and partners
We couldn’t do it without
Thank you to everyone who has supported
Alongside many who wish to remain anonymous, we would like to recognise
A
References
Department for Education (2024) Academic Year 2023/24; Key Stage 2 Attainment. Department for Education (2024) Academic Year 2023/24; Key Stage 2 Attainment. Gilbert, L., Teravainen, A., Clark, C., & Shaw, S. (2018) Literacy and life expectancy. National Literacy Trust.
Cremin, T. & Scholes, L. (2024) Reading for pleasure: scrutinising the evidence base –benefits, tensions and recommendations. Language and Education, 38(4), 537-559.
5 Cremin, T. & Scholes, L. (2024) Reading for pleasure: scrutinising the evidence base –benefits, tensions and recommendations. Language and Education, 38(4), 537-559.
6 Cremin, T. & Scholes, L. (2024) Reading for pleasure: scrutinising the evidence base –benefits, tensions and recommendations. Language and Education, 38(4), 537-559.
7 Clark, C., Picton, I., Cole, A. & Oram, N. (2024) Children and young people’s reading in 2024. National Literacy Trust.
8 Clark, C., Picton, I., Cole, A. & Oram, N. (2024) Children and young people’s reading in 2024. National Literacy Trust.
9 Education Endowment Foundation (2021) Evidence review: One to one tuition.
10 Cole, A., Brown, A., Clark, C., & Picton, I. (2022) Role models and their influence on children and young people’s reading. National Literacy Trust.
11 Picton, I. & Clark, C. (2022) Seeing yourself in what you read: diversity and children and young people’s reading in 2022. National Literacy Trust.
12 Picton, I. & Clark, C. (2023) Children and young people’s book ownership in 2023: A 10-year retrospective. National Literacy Trust.
13 Primary School Library Alliance (2022) Working Together Towards a Library in Every Primary School.
14 Picton, I. & Clark, C. (2022) Seeing yourself in what you read: diversity and children and young people’s reading in 2022. National Literacy Trust.
15 Levy, R., Doyle, J., & Vollans, E. C. (2023) Parental and community involvement. In T. Cremin, H. Hendry, L. Rodriguez Leon & N. Kucirkova (Eds.) Reading Teachers: Nurturing Reading for Pleasure. Routledge.
16 Department for Education (2024) Schools, pupils and their characteristics. Accredited official statistics.
17 Department for Education (2024) Schools, pupils and their characteristics. Accredited official statistics.
18 Save the Children (2015) Early language development and children’s primary school attainment in English and Maths: new research findings. As cited in NLT (2024) Literacy and
19 Qualtrics (2024)
