Four years ago pupil performance data in Birmingham schools showed that pupils made good progress in the first year of primary school but that, by the end of Year 2, a large number of seven year olds were starting to switch off and needed a remotivation.

One lever was to give free books to this group of children and to couple this to sets of activities such as library visits, book choices, book reviews, book discussions and the chance to meet authors.

Let’s Get Reading is a scheme that Birmingham Education Department introduced via this Partnership in 1998. Its aim, over five years, was to accelerate large numbers of children to become independent readers. The scheme has now successfully completed its third year.

Let’s Get Reading aims to provide every Year 2 child in full time state education with two free books. The scheme helps to contribute to increased literacy activity where family circumstance may reduce children’s access to books, and to contribute to increased levels of reading amongst children in general.

Each year the Education Department, with support from local businesses and the Core Skills Partnership, offers a range of over 150 books from which the children can choose their own titles. The range includes books for children who are just starting to read through to books for more confident readers. It also caters for specific needs, such as books for children with visual impairment. The books reflect the diverse nature of the community. All these are featured in an attractive, specifically designed catalogue. The catalogues are sent out via schools with the expectation that the school will help children make an appropriate and informed book choice.
There are a number of options: children can either select their book via the Let’s Get Reading catalogue and simply have them delivered to the school; they can visit one of the community libraries, visit the Centre for the Child at Birmingham Central Library or receive a visit from the Words on Wheels library bus; or can use the access to books as part of some other activity such as a visit to see how a bookshop works, or a visit from an author etc.

Through Let’s Get Reading:

  • 43,295 books have been given to Year 2 children in Birmingham
  • 6,658 Year 2 children have visited the Centre for the Child at Birmingham Central Library to select their books
  • 4,603 Year 2 children have visited a community library in Birmingham to select their books
  • 2,894 Year 2 children went on board the library bus to select their books

This work to accelerate children’s progress towards a love of books and an independence in reading has proved very popular with children, teachers, parents and librarians.

This activity has been built upon by many schools using the schools’ own book purchases or via the Schools Library Service ‘Bookflood’ loans, to keep children surrounded by a variety of books throughout their time at primary school. The message is simple – getting into books is stimulating in many ways, so let’s get reading!