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Mayor shows support for Read Aloud month
On Monday the Mayor, George Ferguson, visited Millpond School on to support the 2016 Read Aloud campaign, which is being led by the International Literacy Centre (ILC) to raise awareness of literacy issues of school children.
The whole of February has been Read Aloud month and in Bristol it has been marked by a series of events in schools to increase awareness of children who struggle to read and to ensure they get the attention they need.
All sorts of people have been involved to date, from the Lord Mayor, Clare Campion-Smith, reading in Whitehall Primary to the Avon Fire and Rescue Service who sent a crew, along with their fire truck, to read at Greenfield School.
is needed now More than ever
Sports stars from Bristol Rugby, Bristol City FC and The Bristol Flyers have also got involved as have local MPs Kerry McCarthy and Charlotte Leslie.
Fifteen students from Bristol Metropolitan Academy went back to their old primary school, Begbrook Primary Academy, to read with the pupils there, and a great time was had by all.
A recent Save the Children report highlighted the problems that occur when a child has not reached the required level of reading by the time they finish primary school. Poor reading skills can result in a child being unable to understand their lessons in their first year at secondary school, with the potential risk that they will fall further and further behind during subsequent years and fail in their education altogether.
Research conducted by the National Literacy Trust for the Read On Get On campaign has demonstrated how low literacy affects can affect an individuals’ health and employment prospects, as well as increasing the risks of criminal activity.
The children reading during February included those who have recently benefited from the support of volunteers recruited through the Bristol Reading in Schools Consortium, a project which works with children aged six to eight.Reading volunteers work in many schools across the city, often alongside Reading Recovery teachers, and are always wanted in Bristol schools. Anyone interested can join the scheme which is a part of the council’s Cities of Service initiative.
Volunteering to help a child with their reading involves a commitment of an hour a week during term times. Excellent training is provided and you could be reading with the children as early as the middle of March.
If you’re interested in helping a child in Bristol learn to read, please get in touch by clicking HERE.
Or if you would like some more information, please contact us on [email protected].
Top image L – R: Mayor George Ferguson with Millpond School pupils Sainabou (left) and Ruwayda (right) and their teacher Sarah Gaunt. Photograph by Chris Bahn.