Primary reading engagement: a community approach

The power of community

Harnessing the power of your local community is a fantastic way of showing children that reading isn’t confined to the classroom or school: it’s something that belongs in their wider lives too. This can be especially important for those children who have become disengaged from reading or associate reading with pressure and obligation.

A local sportsperson, a passionate librarian, an author or an older person can be a powerful reading role model for a young person, enabling them to see themselves as a reader too. Meanwhile, taking reading into different spaces and contexts can provide low-pressure, relaxed reading opportunities or highlight different ways to engage with reading, not as a subject to be studied but as meaningful, enjoyable or purposeful activity.

About this resource

This resource includes ideas and tips for engaging with different community organisations including libraries, bookshops, sports clubs and more. Every school and community is different, so the ideas in this resource are intended to inspire rather than provide “off the peg” solutions. They invite teachers and leaders to look at their local community with fresh eyes or to consider existing links and connections in order to find ways to deepen or refresh these.

Whether you're just starting out or ready to "level up", the examples in this resource will show how reading can extend beyond the school gates in achievable yet impactful ways.