Reading Volunteers

Read With Me is a Gloucestershire organisation, which was set up to ensure that in the future every child will move to secondary school able to read well.Children who are unable to read properly at 7 never really catch up. These children do less well at school, have reduced employment choices and earning opportunities and a greater chance of going to prison. And research shows that adults who can read for pleasure are generally happier overall.

Every year 200,000 children will leave primary school unable to read well

1 in 4 five years olds struggle with basic vocabulary

96% of primary school teachers are concerned about pupil’s speech and language

Children who can’t read can’t take advantage of their education or play a full part in society.

And these statistics are from before Covid made everything even harder for schools, parents and children.

Our volunteers hear each child read once or twice a week for 10/15 minutes which also helps improve communication and social skills and confidence.

We hear 1500 children a week but urgently need to be able to provide this support to 5,000 children.

We ask that volunteers give between one to three hours a week, we provide full training and support, with regular social occasions.

Read what just two of our volunteers said recently -

‘It’s always so rewarding to see children’s reading skills improve over the weeks, knowing that I’ve played a small part in that’. Anne Parsons 

'My Read With Me sessions, twice a week, are a complete joy. I’ve been volunteering for more than a year now, seeing the same children each week grow in confidence and maturity over that time. It is a privilege to give your time, helping children to love reading. And there’s a lot of fascinating conversations too!'. Beth Whittaker