Providing support for struggling young readers

We work with Chapter One UK, which provides disadvantaged children aged 5-7 with one-to-one reading support to help advance their literacy.

Ten of our employees are part of the charity’s network of online volunteers who give struggling readers a 30-minute lesson each week during term-time and sign up for a year to consistently support a student’s learning.

Volunteer senior sustainability manager Stewart Jones joined pupils from Thornhill Primary School in Islington, London, for its end of year celebration and to meet the child he helps. 

“I think the Chapter One programme can deliver real improvement to the future life chances of underprivileged kids,” he said. “My pupil is 6 years old, and his reading has developed tremendously in the last 6 months. 

“From being very shy he now reads with confidence and when I asked him what his favourite lesson was, he said ‘this one’. It made me feel great and I think we are really accomplishing something for the future of the child involved.”