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Kick Into Reading

Children from the Stonebridge and Tokyngton areas are being given the opportunity to improve their reading skills with the help of coaches from Queen's Park Rangers Football Club.

The Kick Into Reading (KIR) scheme has been designed to encourage children aged 7 to 11 to discover the joys of reading. These sessions aim to benefit 'reluctant readers' and inspire the children to share their views on their favourite books and authors.

Each session is based around a football-related theme, making them fun and accessible, and are led by role models that the children can relate to. Coaches from QPR football club give their time to work with the group to develop reading, speaking and listening skills.

Children that attend every session in the course will be rewarded with tickets to see QPR in action or the opportunity to join a QPR summer football school.

 

The project has been developed in partnership with Brent Libraries, (Education) Extended Schools and Queen's Park Rangers' Football in the Community programme.

All of the QPR coaches that have volunteered to be a part of the KIR project have been trained in the delivery of literacy activities and learned storytelling techniques.

Sarah Smith, Children & Young People Services Manager at Brent Libraries said:

"The Brent Kick Into Reading project is based on a model from the National Literacy Trust. We ran the first KIR sessions at Harlesden library, starting in November 2004, and these were a huge success with the children in that area, so much so that we wanted to give young people in other areas of Brent the same opportunity.

"The sessions not only help to improve reading skills they also provide a real boost to the children's overall confidence. They are encouraged to become independent learners and there is a real sense of achievement as they develop new skills and discover an enthusiasm for books.

"The support of Queen's Park Rangers' has been invaluable to this project. The coaches really connect with the children and the atmosphere in the sessions is informal and relaxed, with the emphasis on having fun whilst learning.

"We are confident that Kick Into Reading will be a huge success and we are looking forward to introducing many children to the project."