Every fortnight as part of BBC Outreach’s Reading Partnership initiative I visit St. Joseph’s RC Primary School in Ordsall, Salford where I work with two Year 2 pupils. The aim of the scheme is to give children the one to one attention they need to help build their confidence and improve their reading skills - as well as making reading fun and interesting. We put emphasis on bringing the characters to life so it's not just about grades and levels but the simple joy of storytelling!
I started working with BBC Outreach in January and they provided the links to St Joseph's. My 'buddy' and I see the same children but go on alternative weeks so our pupils get a weekly visit from us. We hope to see the same pupils until the end of the year so it will be fantastic to see them improve. Already after just a few months the difference is clear to see which is really encouraging for both them and us!
The teachers are delighted that my colleagues and I are so engaged with the scheme and are very encouraging and flexible. We are made to feel really appreciated and welcome and it's great to feel like we're making links in the community. Having previously worked in a school I especially enjoy getting out of the office and being in a school environment - I think it's really important to try and raise aspirations from an early age and the pupils are always very interested in hearing about our work and where we've come from.
*BBC Outreach has reading partner schemes in Salford, London and Bristol. This allows our staff to support the community local to their office by visiting a primary school to spend time reading with the children.
