Prime Highlights:
- Sixth form students from Forge Valley Secondary are mentoring Key Stage 1 pupils at Shooter’s Grove, making reading fun through games and activities.
- The mentorship program, led by the Bookmark Reading Charity, aims to improve literacy and encourage a love of reading, especially in disadvantaged communities.
Key Facts:
- One in four primary school children in the UK struggle to read at the expected level, and only 71% of Sheffield pupils meet the expected standard for Key Stage 2 reading.
- The Bookmark Reading Charity has been working since 2018 with five Sheffield primary schools to support pupils falling below the national reading average.
Background:
A Sheffield primary school is receiving a helping hand from local sixth form students to improve pupils’ reading skills. Twice a week, A-level students from Forge Valley Secondary School in Stannington spend time reading with Key Stage 1 pupils, aged five to seven, at Shooter’s Grove Primary School.
The initiative is part of a reading mentorship campaign led by the Bookmark Reading Charity, which works with schools in some of the UK’s most deprived areas. The charity aims to raise literacy levels and foster a love of reading among young learners.
Victoria Sparrow, teacher and reading lead at Shooter’s Grove, explained the importance of the program: “These days, children don’t get enough exposure to reading, and not all children experience a wide range of books at home.” She added that one in four primary school children in the UK struggles to read at the expected level, highlighting the need for such support.
Since its launch in 2018, the Bookmark Reading Charity has partnered with five Sheffield primary schools where pupils often fall below the national average for reading. In the city, only 71% of pupils meet the expected standard for Key Stage 2 reading, compared to the national average of 75%.
Year 12 student Chloe volunteers as a reading mentor because she also found reading difficult in primary school. Each week, she reads with six-year-olds Eris and Heather and includes fun reading games to make it enjoyable. Both children say they look forward to the sessions.
Heather said, “I like reading because it’s fun and we can choose our stories,” while Eris added, “I like reading with Chloe because the games make it really fun.”
Rachel Petters, Head of Sixth Form at Forge Valley, praised the program’s impact on both mentors and pupils. “It’s wonderful that these young people give up their time to help others. Their generosity benefits the whole community,” she said.
The mentorship scheme not only supports literacy but also fills a gap in dedicated reading time, helping schools where staff resources are already stretched.
