Reading and literacy programme
We are working with the University student Literacy Society and local schools to deliver an annual project across the Year 6 to Year 7 transition, which supports young people to adapt to change and engage them more with reading. Literacy is an important element of social capital and vital to young people’s success in education and longer-term outcomes.
Programmes were delivered in 2023/24 and 2024/25 and the work will continue in 2025/26 – watch this space for details.
"I have been working across all schools in the Tile Hill area for a number of years and have seen first hand the impact that poor literacy can have across the whole community, especially in children. Schools have resources to teach reading, but very little to give to reading for pleasure.
The collaboration between Tile Hill Community Partnership and the University afforded time and resources to pupils from some of the most deprived backgrounds, to encourage a love of reading supported by University volunteers and resources provided by the University.
Children from different schools within Tile Hill shared a book with volunteer readers over a number of weeks and then all came together to meet the actual authors of the book and undertake a number of fun workshops. The impact of the project was clear to see with children really enthused about reading”
Jo Kerr - Teacher, West Coventry Academy
Past activities
Reading programme 2024/25
Launched in 2023/34, the Reading Programme continued in 2024/25 with support from students from Warwick Volunteers and the Literacy Society, in partnership with the Tile Hill Community Partnership. The programme was designed to foster a love of reading among local young people (year 5 to year 7) for whom reading is a challenge. The sessions were co-designed by an undergraduate student intern working with the Community Engagement team, school literacy leads and the Tile Hill Community Partnership. The pupils were supported to find enjoyment in reading and talking about a book in a supportive environment.
Bonkers Book Bash – May 2025
The 2024/25 Reading Programme culminated in a day of book-based fun at West Coventry Academy on 21 May 2025. The Bonkers Book Bash was supported by student volunteers from the Literacy Society and other Warwick staff and student volunteers. Pupils met the authors of the books they had been reading, and each pupil received their own copy of the book.
As a follow up, Warwick Volunteers coordinated a wish list of books with Kenilworth Books to help provide books for children in primary schools in the Tile Hill area in the hope that young people would be inspired and grow a love of reading.
Reading programme 2023/24
During the academic year 2023/24 undergraduate student Reading Ambassadors spent an hour each week over three weeks working with children in six local schools. They worked with children who have a lower reading age, with the aim of fostering a love and enjoyment of reading.
Community Festival of Reading – July 2024
On 4 July 2024, we held a Festival of Reading at Finham Park 2 school. The event was organised in partnership with the Finham Multi-Academy Trust and the Tile Hill Community Partnership. Two authors ran workshops at the festival - Jack Meggitt-Philips, a Warwick alumnus, and Jenny MacLachlan. The authors were supported by students from the Warwick Volunteers Community Crafters group. Eight schools attended the festival, including four of the six schools who had taken part in three weeks of in-school reading sessions with our Reading Ambassadors earlier in the year. In partnership with Kenilworth Books, all the 100 children who attended the Festival of Reading were able to leave with a book.
For further information, contact: community@warwick.ac.ukLink opens in a new window