1 in 4 children leave primary school unable to read at the expected level, limiting their access to secondary education and future opportunities with lifelong consequences. Schoolreaders supports over 35000 who most need support by providing weekly one‑to‑one reading volunteers in schools.
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Without strong literacy, children struggle to access secondary education and risk functional illiteracy -affecting 1 in 6 adults who cannot read essential information such as a bus timetable or medicine packet. Low literacy drives wider social issues including homelessness, poor health, and criminality; over half of prisoners read below an 11‑year‑old level. Many children fall behind simply because they lack regular, focused one‑to‑one reading time with a supportive adult.
Schoolreaders recruits, trains and supports volunteers to deliver weekly one‑to‑one reading sessions in primary schools, giving children the dedicated time they need to progress. As the only nationwide charity offering this support free to schools, we ensure universal access. We prioritise the most deprived areas, focusing on pupils receiving Free School Meals or Pupil Premium; in London, 60% of our partner schools meet these criteria, ensuring help reaches those who need it most
