“By participating in the Young Readers Programme, our school has seen not only a rise in literacy but also a shift in the overall culture of learning. Students are more motivated, confident, and connected to their reading and writing journeys, and we look forward to seeing their continued growth.”
Deborah Toussaint is the acting assistant head and English lead at St Augustine’s C of E Primary School in Northwest London. Like many other schools, Deborah and her colleagues faced several challenges to source and afford the range of diverse books and provide the level of reading activities the school’s pupils needed in order for them to develop a love of reading.
One school's experience of the Young Readers Programme
That was what led Deborah to enrol her school in the National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme in 2022 which then changed the way they embedded reading for pleasure in their school.
Several challenges made it difficult to encourage a love for reading
Deborah is a teacher with over 20 years of experience, but her love of reading began when she was a child. Growing up, she experienced first-hand the transformative power of reading for pleasure which became something she wanted to pass onto her students. When she herself was a child at school, Deborah recognised the power books had to be a gateway to different worlds, new ideas, and endless possibilities, “I remember how reading allowed me to explore different perspectives, giving me a sense of belonging and a voice. My own love for reading was nurtured through diverse stories that reflected different cultures, including my own heritage.”
Fuelled by her own experiences and love of reading, Deborah wanted to make a change in the school where she now teaches.
“Teaching for over two decades has shown me that reading is not just about literacy—it’s about giving children a chance in life. When children learn to read with joy, they unlock doors to learning across every subject.”
Several challenges made it difficult to encourage a love for reading among the students. A lack of diverse books in the school’s library and classrooms meant that different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences were not well reflected or represented. Moreover, many of the stories were old or not relatable to her students, which also meant that some children didn’t feel represented in the books they were reading, and they couldn’t connect with the stories.
The primary school's library space and school provision of books were essential too as many of Deborah’s students’ families were unable to afford new books. With the rising cost of living, buying new books wasn’t a priority for many homes, making it harder for children to read for pleasure outside of school.
Additional and all-too-familiar challenges included limited school funding for books and a lack of reading events and workshops to inspire pupils with fun and engaging reading experiences.
It was against this backdrop that Deborah signed up to be part of the National Literacy Trust’s Young Readers Programme.
Standout moments from the programme
The Young Readers Programme, which has been rolled out in schools by the National Literacy Trust for over 25 years, aims to support children to develop their own love of books and reading identity through a series of fun events focused on book choice and reading for enjoyment. Deborah noted many standout moments from their involvement with the programme in 2022.
- The pupils at St Augustine’s C of E Primary School were left with smiles on their faces and buzzing with positive discussion as a result of the sessions.
- All the children were equipped with the ability to choose new books which they wanted to read, even struggling to put their books down when they attended a 'Reading on the Beach' event as part of the programme where the children were spotted reading their newly chosen books whilst sitting on the sand in Southend.
- Watching and listening to stories from visiting authors and poets who recited poetry as part of the programme also had a huge and positive impact on all the children.
Deborah reflected, “In our school, we have a high percentage of EAL and PPG students, who love to read. Parent reading workshops were also positive, as our parents were also engaged in their children's reading.”
How were pupils impacted by the Young Readers Programme?
Increased Confidence Levels
One of the biggest changes was in the students’ self-confidence. Deborah attributes this to increased access to a variety of new and exciting books and the fact that children were able to choose stories that interested them, which in turn made them feel more confident about their reading abilities.
“They are more eager to read aloud in class, discuss books with their peers, and share their opinions on stories. This boost in confidence has spread to other areas of their learning as well.”
Improved Wellbeing
“Reading has also had a positive impact on our students' emotional wellbeing. Books provided children with a way to escape into different worlds, explore new ideas, and feel connected to characters and stories that reflect their own experiences. This sense of connection has been especially important for students who previously felt overlooked or disconnected from the books available to them. Reading for pleasure has given them a way to relax and find joy, reducing stress and improving their overall happiness.”
Enhanced Attainment in Reading and Writing
Deborah stated that the Young Readers Programme "significantly contributed to improved academic outcomes.” Attributing elements like better access to more diverse and engaging books, which meant that students developed a greater love for reading, which naturally led to better reading comprehension and skills. Regular exposure to new vocabulary and story structures also enhanced their writing abilities.
“We’ve seen students become more creative in their writing, inspired by the books they’ve been reading. This, in turn, has had a positive impact on their attainment levels in both reading and writing. By participating in the Young Readers Programme, our school has seen not only a rise in literacy but also a shift in the overall culture of learning. Students are more motivated, confident, and connected to their reading and writing journeys, and we look forward to seeing their continued growth.”
Building a lasting love of reading in our students
The Young Readers Programme provided an impetus for the whole school to embed reading for pleasure into the daily fabric of the school and for it to become a lasting legacy of reading. Deborah shared that as a school community they are deeply committed to fostering a love of reading among the students and have implemented several other initiatives to create a vibrant reading culture.
“By offering opportunities to read both at school and at home, celebrating reading through events, and providing a curriculum rich with diverse texts and writing opportunities, we are building a lasting love of reading in our students. These efforts not only improve their literacy skills but also inspire them to become lifelong readers.”
Have you been inspired by Deborah’s story?
Deborah noticed a huge, positive change in her pupils’ confidence levels and abilities after taking part in our Young Readers Programme, which tended to spill over into other learning areas. She also noticed that reading confidently has had an impact on their happiness and wellbeing.
If you would like to see your pupils discover a love of reading and would like support to make this happen, why not take part in our Young Readers Programme?
Visit our Reading for Pleasure in schools section to discover more about our work to support teachers through resources, programmes and training opportunities.
If you have been inspired by the impact that our programme had on Deborah's school and pupils, please consider donating today and together, we can change even more life stories through the power of literacy. Donate here
Discover our latest research report which outlines findings from our Annual Literacy Survey 2024 around children and young people's reading for pleasure and daily reading habits.