Every Thursday morning Harper*, a year 2 pupil at Newport Primary School in Middlesbrough, would eagerly anticipate being able to practise her reading with Rebecca Jenkins, her Chapter One online reading volunteer from Marsh McLennan.

It wasn't always this way. When Harper started Year 2 in September 2023, reading felt like a task to tick off. "It was very functional - I'm reading this because I have to read it," her teacher Kay Robinson remembers. "She'd read the words out loud and that was it."

Ms Robinson also recalls Harper’s general lack of confidence as the new school year began. Harper stammered and was unsure of herself.

But something special started happening in her weekly half-hour sessions with Rebecca. Between turning the pages of Chapter One’s digital books and playing the literacy-developing activities, Harper and Rebecca would also chat about the stories in the books and how Harper saw herself reflected in them. The pair would also create their own stories. “Harper loved making up stories with aspects of her life in them which made her giggle a lot,” Rebecca recalls. That simple connection - having someone's undivided attention and genuine interest - began to work its magic. Ms Robinson observes, “It’s that [one-to-one] conversation with a grown up that sometimes sadly in class we don’t get … it’s that quality time, it’s that half an hour of full reading…”

"The massive improvement really has been in her confidence," Ms Robinson shares. "She can have a conversation about it now, she wants to talk about the pictures as well as the words. It's a much more rounded experience…and she has moved up significantly in her reading levels."

This newfound confidence rippled far beyond reading time. It has also boosted Harper’s overall confidence and communication skills. Recently, Harper took part in an activity that involved making a class presentation to people from outside the school - something that would have been unthinkable just months ago. "She would never ever have been able to do that in Year 1," her teacher says proudly. "I believe that is a result of that [Chapter One] and that confidence that it’s given her in herself and just being able to … articulate herself and make sure that she’s understood."

In Middlesbrough, where nearly 40% of children live in poverty and literacy rates are among the lowest in England, stories like Harper's show what's possible when children get the right support at the right time. At Newport Primary, 63% of pupils receive Pupil Premium funding, and these weekly reading sessions are helping bridge crucial gaps.

"She just likes books more," Ms Robinson says simply. Through these weekly sessions, Harper hasn't just improved her reading comprehension and moved up reading levels - Chapter One and her time with her volunteer Rebecca has given her “that real love for reading”.

* Harper is not the pupil's real name

Harper read with Rebecca Jenkins, a volunteer from our Gold corporate partner Marsh McLennan, from autumn 2023 through to the end of the summer term in July 2024

Literacy and poverty rates in Middlesbrough

Harper attended Year 2 at Newport Primary School, Middlesbrough in 2023-24. In this school, a significant number of pupils face disadvantage. For example, 63% of pupils are in receipt of Pupil Premium funding. There are also many other pupils who do not receive this funding but who are considered vulnerable pupils. Newport Primary School faces significant challenges in relation to children’s literacy standards amongst children facing disadvantage. Reading and writing both in Key Stage 1 and 2 remain significantly below national expectations. In addition, assessments, observations, and discussions with pupils suggest that pupils in this school generally have greater difficulties with phonics compared to the national picture. These factors negatively impact pupils' development as readers.

Poverty rates are high in Middlesbrough. In 2022-23, 38.7% of children in Middlesbrough were living in poverty, compared to 30% in the UK. Literacy rates are low in Middlesbrough. Of 533 constituencies in England, Middlesbrough is the constituency with the greatest literacy need (National Literacy Trust, 2017). In 2022/23, 75% of Year 1 pupils in Middlesbrough met the expected standard in the phonics screening check compared to 79% in England. 63% of children in Middlesbrough met the expected standard in reading at Key Stage 1, compared to 68% in England (Department for Education, 2023).

Sources: End Child Poverty, National Literacy Trust, HM Government

How can companies get involved in Chapter One?

Chapter One’s virtual, time-efficient, flexible model for volunteering will enhance your company’s employee value proposition, whilst fulfilling CSR or social value commitments around education, social mobility and inclusion. Employees can:

- volunteer online directly from their desks with no travel

- make a direct impact on the lives of children from disadvantaged communities

- support local communities across the UK

- improve their own well-being by helping others

- reconnect with your company’s social purpose

If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to hear from you! You’ll find out who we currently work with on our partners’ page. You can contact us here or email sarah.taylor@chapterone.org.