Space Engineering Services Ltd

After just five weeks of Space providing reading buddy volunteers to St Anne's Park Primary, the school noticed a difference in the children who were paired up, in particular an increase in confidence. Feedback from the children included: "I enjoy books more", " I am more confident" and "It was brilliant". The company currently has eleven reading buddy volunteers working at the school. The volunteers each buddy up with a year 3 child half way through the summer term, and these relationships have continued now that they are in year 4.

The review at the end of the Autumn term was equally as positive and it was great to hear that "there is lots of excitement on Wednesday mornings".

One of the teachers (unrelated to reading buddies) recently conducted a study on literacy, as part of their leadership development, which included talking to groups of children. It was pure co-incidence that she selected a couple who have reading buddies and, unprompted, they said how much they enjoy it and how much it is helping their reading.

Teaching staff have also commented that they have noticed increased confidence and reading ability across all those with a buddy and feel that the 121 relationship that each child is developing is helping their personal development considerably. Both Amy and the school are delighted that more volunteers are coming forward, meaning that more children will benefit also.

But it is not just the children who benefit. All the volunteers enjoy their Wenesday lunchtimes and get an enormous sense of achievement and also fun. One volunteer, said on her feedback form: "I find the whole experience enjoyable and rewarding. The smiles on the children's faces when they see their reading buddies is fantastic".

 

Next term the volunteers will be working with the school to arrange a visit to the Head Office, to see their buddy at work, as part of an ‘awareness of work', project. We are also in discussions with the school about other ways in which we can develop our partnership, and recently sponsored a child to attend school camp.