New Philanthropy Capital_image_Reading Matters Imagine how different life would be if you struggled to read. Everyday jobs become mountainous tasks — reading the instructions on a medicine bottle, writing a note to your child’s school or using the Yellow Pages.

NPC's report, Read on, highlights the most effective ways to tackle literacy problems amongst young people.

Did you know?

More than one in five 11 year olds leave primary school with literacy skills below the expected standard.
Around 12m adults — or one third of the workforce — have literacy skills at or below the level expected of an 11-year-old child.

The report discovers that the best way to improve children's literacy skills and confidence is through one-on-one support with a proficient reader and identifies excellent charities offering this support.

‘Being able to read is one of the most important skills a young person needs. If children don’t learn then as they progress through school, the gap between the disadvantaged children and everyone else widens.’
John Copps, Senior research analyst

Charity insight

"More than one in five 11 year olds leaves primary school with literacy skills below the expected standard.''

READING MATTERS trains volunteers to support the weakest readers in secondary schools.