Free books help Peterborough youngsters with reading skills in Covid lockdown

Peterborough City Council is working closely with the National Literacy Trust hub in the city to provide additional educational support during the coronavirus epidemic.

With education in Peterborough under severe pressure according to a new report this week, the cooperation comes as a welcome service.

Members of the city council Children and Scrutiny Committee were told at their online meeting (9 November) by Jonathan Lewis, Service Director (Education), who said: “Established in 2014 as one of the first National Literacy Service Hubs in the country, Peterborough NLT has a strong partnership with Peterborough City Council providing vital additional educational services at a time when educators in the city are under extreme pressure.

“Established in 2014, the NLT hub in Peterborough, alongside 14 other similar hubs around the country, has striven to embed reading and improving adult and child literacy ensuring that every child in every community can enjoy reading and access to books.

“NLT sets out through strategic pathways and priorities to guide how children and adults with literacy challenges can improve their life opportunities through learning to read.

“Disadvantaged children in schools, preschools and childminders receive books and packs such as Roald Dahl, Harry Potter and picture learning books, with WH Smith donating pencil cases and paper for community groups and schools.

“With the onset of lockdown and the continued concerns during C-19, education in the city is under extreme pressure to deliver education services of all kinds, and we can be thankful that we have the NLT hub here in the city to take some of that burden at a time of greatest need.”

Cllr Andy Coles asked: “This is a very positive story, but are they able to operate under the C-19 restrictions at all? Are we potentially going to see a drop-off in terms of up-take in children and young people in reading?

“Secondly, we’ve seen quite a bit about increases in resources in this area with something like 2,566 new library users which is all quantities, but have we got anything qualitative – something about measuring the benefits from all this reading?

“And finally, what role do the NLT play in adult literacy education? With 16% of adults not really good readers, it’s pretty much given that they play little role in advancing or benefiting their own children’s reading. So, in what way are the NLT able to help out with the adults, parents and carers of children who are struggling with reading?”

Mr Lewis replied: “Clearly the C-19 situation has impacted on our ‘Year of Reading’ with the NLT there is no disguising that.

“This in turn has had an effect on your second question because we’ve not had the usual data that we would receive as feedback from the NLT through the time of the coronavirus crisis.

“However, there is some qualitative data which I can share particularly about how many extra children were engaged in and enjoying reading – that is what we’re trying to get out of this project after all, trying to build a love of reading

“I will look into those figures and bring them back to this committee at a later date; but I know they were especially pleasing.

“Your final point in terms of adult literacy – it’s absolutely vital. You can see that we can’t support children reading out of school with just 30% of their time spent in the classroom, unless their parents are going to play a major role in their home-bound education process.

“Certainly, City College and formerly Vivacity have been very proactive in signposting, developing and supporting literacy for adults as a really important service provision.

“We’ve accessed a huge number of books that have been very helpful for adults as they’re not always forthcoming through the NLT and the publishers they work with.

“That said, I think we’re probably overdue an adult skills report for this Committee and will make sure that this happens in the near future.”

Members acknowledged the report on the work currently being done by Peterborough National Literacy Trust Hub.