Grant to promote a Whole School Reading Culture

Deadline: 21-Nov-22

The Bookmark is seeking applications for its Grant to promote a Whole School Reading Culture to help develop whole school reading cultures, Bookmark is offering a limited number of grants to primary schools to help them address their specific literacy needs.

Objectives

To support schools to establish their whole school reading cultures
To ensure children have access to good quality reading materials and environments in their schools
To support children to develop positive reading habits and attitudes towards reading
To support teachers to develop the skills and knowledge they need to motivate children to read for pleasure and create a buzz around reading

Types of Grants

They have two types of grants available:
- Whole School Reading Culture project grant (up to £5,000): They want to fund literacy initiatives that will motivate children to read for pleasure and develop a love of reading.
- Whole School Reading Culture teacher CPD grant (up to £500): They want to help teachers get the reading for pleasure training they need to facilitate whole school reading cultures. If you come across high quality training course that is free, they will consider providing funding towards the cost of teacher cover.

What they will Fund?

Whole School Reading Culture project grant

Age appropriate, diverse, and up-to-date books/reading materials that encourage reading for pleasure – physical and digital, fiction and non-fiction
Contributions towards library provision – IT lending software, furniture, bookshelves particularly for classroom libraries, bean bags, cushions, small equipment, signage for different genres
Initiatives that create a buzz around reading i.e., author visit events, World Book Day etc
Initiatives that support parents and guardians to develop the skills they need to read with their children i.e.an afterschool literacy drop-in session for both children and their parents
Targeted staff costs to enable the delivery of an initiative such as Teaching Assistant running a book club or literacy drop in sessions
Literacy programmes provided by other charities such as a visit from the Book Bus to get children excited about reading
Groups that encourage reading, like book clubs

What they Won't Fund?

Non-state funded primary schools
Individuals (such as external consultants)
Phonics reading scheme and other schemed books
General salary costs

Criteria

State-funded primary school in England and Wales
Applicant must be the head teacher, member of senior leadership team, or literacy lead
Must be able to demonstrate literacy need
If awarded a grant, the school must submit a short interim update in July 2023 and then the corresponding reporting template for grant by 21 November 2023 with supplementary evidence including invoices/receipts for any purchases made using the grant award. Full reporting template will be set out in the grant agreement letter
In Addition, For the Whole School Reading Culture Project Grant:
- Must have a clear statement of intended impact with indicators of how this will be assessed
- Must have a clear and actionable plan for use of funds that will deliver the proposed impact of the project
- Schools must have dedicated member(s) of staff at the school leading the project to demonstrate school’s capacity to deliver the initiative
- If you are seeking funding for books and reading materials, you must also have a clear plan or initiative that you are intending to use to encourage children to read
For CPD Grant:
- Must have a clear statement of intended impact of training and how it will be implemented