ABC to read offers a high-quality, in depth, comprehensive service delivered by highly trained volunteers

The training includes safeguarding and confidentiality. Primary schools across Berkshire are benefiting from the support that our volunteer reading mentors provide to children who are struggling with their reading. Our volunteers spend one to one time with these children, getting to know them and boosting their confidence and skills.

Teachers tell us that this brings benefits in many areas, not just improved literacy.

Our unique approach

  • Schools identify children who would benefit from the support of a reading mentor and we match one of our trained volunteers to the school.
  • The volunteer comes to school twice a week and spends half an hour each with up to 3 children, playing games, reading and boosting their confidence and skills. We provide all the resources selected for each child.
  • Every volunteer is supported by an ‘ABC to read’ field worker, who has experience of the role themselves.
  • We encourage schools to provide feedback about the service to the volunteer and to ‘ABC to read’ so that we can monitor progress and improve our service.
  • We ask that the school provides a contribution of £360 per volunteer per year – this works out at around £3 per child per week and falls within the school’s pupil premium allocation.
  • Each year we ask the school to complete a short survey so that we can monitor the difference that our mentors are making to the children in your school.
  • We also offer ‘Ready to Read’ training courses for parent, workshops to parent helpers, Tas and run a Buddy workshop to students so they can benefit from a volunteering role and support younger peers whom reading is a challenge..
  • Our volunteers are fully trained by us to deliver a one-to-one service and undergo statutory checks including DBS.
  • ABC to Read is widely recognised and valued for what it does

Find out more

If you have children at your school who could benefit from working with one of our volunteers, or you would like to find out more about the services we offer and how they work, please review the drop-down menu in this Schools section or contact us on:

Telephone: 0118 951 1336

E-mail: info@abctoread.org.uk

We look forward to hearing from you.