Our Theory of Change: Five Key Outcomes for Children

Over 2023-24, we worked with staff, trustees, teachers, volunteers, corporate partners and parents to refresh our Theory of Change - mapping out exactly how our programmes create positive change - as well as comprehensively reviewing the research and evidence base that informs and inspires our work.

The problem we tackle

Reading - a critical part of literacy - supports children to thrive and increases life chances. However, socioeconomic factors impact on children’s opportunities to develop reading and literacy skills. Using this evidence, our refreshed Theory of Change starts with a clear problem statement:

Far too many primary school children, facing disadvantage, struggle with reading, which stops them from thriving in life.

Who we support

We focus our support on primary school children in the UK who face disadvantage, who struggle with reading and have low levels of reading confidence and enjoyment. We interpret ‘disadvantage’ broadly, to include children from low-income families but also other factors such as challenging family circumstances or where English is not the first language. In addition, we focus our support on ‘emerging readers’, because engaging children in reading at a young age can mitigate against disadvantage.

How we deliver

Self-determination theory suggests that three innate psychological needs facilitate enhanced self-motivation: autonomy, competence and relatedness. How we deliver our programmes is rooted in promoting these three aspects in children as they are advantageous for developing motivation and volitional reading. Through our programmes, which combine technology with one-to-one human connection, we create an environment whereby children feel special, encouraged and inspired to read.

What we offer

Our core programme:

• Online Reading Volunteers Programme: Our bespoke online platform connects corporate volunteers with young readers aged 5-8, facilitating weekly reading sessions over an academic year.
  

Our pilot programmes:

• Global Free Library: a freely available online collection of stories and materials that celebrate the world's diversity. (Available 2023-24)

• Early Literacy Intervention: offers one-to-one sessions to pupils who are at risk of falling behind with class phonics and are not meeting expected reading levels for their age. Delivered by trained interventionists. (Available 2023-24)

• Book clubs: a 10-week pilot programme from early 2025 for reluctant readers in Years 4-6 to develop reading for pleasure, delivered by trained reading facilitators and volunteers. (From 2025 only)

Our desired outcomes for children

Through our approach, children become better readers (higher attainment and increased functional skills), become more confident in reading, enjoy reading more, are more confident at communicating and are more inspired/motivated to read.

Our desired impact

Impact refers to the sustained, long-term change that we desire in society. Everything we do leads to one clear impact: ensuring all children have the same opportunities to benefit from everything that reading provides, enabling them to thrive in life.