May 21, 2020

Literacy Charity Supported by School

One of Leighton Park School’s key partnership organisations, Assisting Berkshire Children to Read (ABC to Read), is a small charity with a big heart. Headed up by Marcia Rawlinson, Chief Operating Officer, the team at ABC aim to improve literacy throughout the local area. Their provision of individual reading sessions conducted in 70 schools by around 140 volunteers benefit around 500 children per year but comes at a cost of almost £80,000 per annum.

With schools closed during lockdown and social distancing measures in place, Marcia is having to think creatively about how her volunteers can continue their service,. She is considering zoom and online reading options, but face-to-face contact is so much more effective. In the hope of the Government restrictions being lifted, she is equipped with face shields from the Leighton Park hub partnership,  in case her team of volunteers should require PPE. “We are finding and sharing what we feel are the best literacy resources via newsletters and social media.” Commented Marcia, “We are using new content every day and have also set up a live storytelling and are purchasing and taking part in book giveaways for hubs that are being distributed to those in need.  We are providing schools with top tips to share with parents on how to engage children with reading whilst home schooling.  Our volunteers have been writing letters, stories and poetry to the children that they usually support to keep up the relationships and communications.  We have set up Book Rocks painting pebbles to encourage volunteers and children to paint pebbles daubed with famous book covers to inspire reading, exercise and getting creative.”

But even with so much going on, Marcia is still worried about falling literacy rates, especially for those in vulnerable families, as the lockdown continues. “Many children will fall behind with their reading and lots of our volunteers are over 70 and may be too scared or unable to return because of their health,” reflected Marcia, “We needed to recruit another 50 volunteers, even before Covid-19, to meet demand from schools for our service.”

Year 10 students at Leighton Park are being mobilised to help bridge the literacy attainment gap by Assistant Headteacher:Co-curricular and Partnerships, Natasha Coccia. She has organised training sessions for the pupils with ABC to Read during the coming Autumn term, preparing them to support the literacy programme at Loddon Primary School in Lower Earley, from January 2021. The proposed programme is similar to an initiative Marcia already runs for secondary schools where Sixth Form mentors are trained to support new Year 7 students struggling with literacy within their own school.

Tash commented, ‘Our relationship with ABC to Read has been long standing through connections made by our fantastic librarian Chris Routh and her team. It has continued to build through generous donations  of toys and books from LP families plus the supply of PPE from the face shields hub in DT for ABC’s volunteers. Leighton Park is expanding its mentoring programme next year to explore academic mentoring with KS2 students. ABC to Read is our first port of call for training for our Year 10 mentors. ABC to Read have a strong tradition of working with schools to improve literacy and confidence with reading and Leighton Park has a history of service education. It’s a perfect match!’

“People can overlook us as we are small and sometimes they can consider our work to be statutory, although it isn’t.” said Marcia, “There is a focus at the moment on the pandemic and grants going to charities who are directly involved in the pandemic. We are finding funding applications are being refused. It’s brilliant that Leighton Park are prepared to support us. The donations from the school of books, games and the face shields has been a god send and because they were free we can save the money we do have for other things.”

If you would like to support ABC to Read, either financially or as a volunteer, please do get in touch with Marcia Rawlinson via abctoread@btconnect.com

 

 

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