Reading – Why parents matter

Every year in the UK, one in four children leave primary school unable to read to the required standard. This has long term consequences for the child’s academic outcomes, employment and health. In this blog, we take a look at why reading at home matters and the difference parents can make by reading regularly with their child.

Why reading matters

Reading is the foundation of a good education. Children who can read are more likely to succeed in school, achieve better qualifications and are more likely to be employed in adulthood.

We know reading has huge benefits for a child’s wellbeing and outcomes, but even before the pandemic, one in four children left primary school unable to read to the required standard – 200,000 pupils every year.

Two children read a book together

Without intervention, children who cannot read well become adults who cannot read well. 7.1 million adults in England can be described as having ‘very poor literacy skills’. That’s one in six people. Adults with low levels of literacy have worse health outcomes, earn less, and are even more likely to die early. 

A boy reading a book

The impact of reading at home

It’s hard to overstate the impact of reading with your child at home. Research shows that regular reading at home leads to:

  • Higher levels of literacy
  • Widened vocabulary
  • Improved mental wellbeing
  • Higher levels of empathy 
  • A stronger sense of imagination
  • Improved sleeping patterns

One key study found that a child who is read one book a day will hear 290,000 more words by age 5 than a child who doesn’t regularly read with a parent or caregiver. As a result, these children have a huge advantage when it comes to starting school.

It’s not just about literacy though – taking time to read with a child tells them that they are important and deserving of attention. This has positive effects on confidence and self-esteem.

 

Reading at home and the attaiment gap

DfE data shows that by the age of 15, children from disadvantaged families are on average almost three years behind their peers from the most affluent backgrounds when it comes to reading.

Although we know that reading at home has a massive impact, pupils who receive free school meals are less likely to read outside of school. A recent National Literacy Trust report found that FSM pupils are also less likely to say they enjoy reading and less likely to be encouraged to read by their parents. 

Consequently, supporting disadvantaged families to read with their children is critical if we hope to close the literacy gap between FSM pupils and their more affluent peers.

A boy smiles while holding a book
A parent and child read together

Supporting all families to read at home

At Learning with Parents, our vision is for every child to be supported at home to achieve their potential. 

We have spent the last year speaking to teachers, parents and school leaders to find out more about how reading currently works in schools and to identify areas where our support could make a big difference. Based on this, we designed We Read, a reading log that addresses some of the problems identified for both parents and teachers.

We Read makes it fun and simple for disadvantaged families to engage with reading. We use research-informed nudge technology to support parents to build habits of regularly reading with their child. Our audio recording and photo sharing tools act as a strong incentive for children, as they are excited to share their home reading with their teacher. 

Having successfully piloted the log with a small number of schools, we are now excited to be expanding our offer to all partner schools. We believe the log will make a big difference at schools by ensuring that parents of all backgrounds are supported to read regularly with their child at home. 

You can learn more about our digital reading log here, check out a case study from a partner school, or book in a demo to find out more about how we can support your school.

Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook

Terms and Conditions

PARTIES

(1) LEARNING WITH PARENTS a registered charity (CIO) in England and Wales with charity number 1189812 whose registered office is Newminster House, Bristol, BS1 1LT (Company);

(2) Your school or setting (School);

WHEREAS

(A) The Company has developed a programme to motivate and empower parents to engage in their child’s learning.

(B) The School wishes to use the Company’s programme to help their children and families.

(C) The Company has agreed to grant access to sections of its website to the relevant school staff and families.

(D) The Company has agreed to provide and the School has agreed to pay for access to the Company’s website on the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS FOLLOWS

1. Definitions

The definitions and rules of interpretation in this clause apply in this Agreement:

  • “Initial Price” is the price for the Initial Subscription Term. This is calculated by the “Price Calculation”.
  • “Initial Subscription Term” means the initial term which shall begin on the date this contract is entered into and end after one calendar year.
  • “Intellectual Property Rights” means patents, rights to inventions, copyright and related rights, trade marks and service marks, business names and domain names, goodwill and the right to sue for passing off or unfair competition, rights in designs, database rights, rights to use, and protect the confidentiality of, confidential information (including know-how) and all other intellectual property rights, in each case whether registered or unregistered and including all applications and rights to apply for and be granted, renewals or extensions of, and rights to claim priority from, such rights and all similar or equivalent rights or forms of protection which subsist or will subsist now or in the future in any part of the world.
  • “Learning with Parents Package” means a section of the Company’s website personalised for the School that contains the Videos provided by the Company via the Website or any other website notified to the School by the Company from time to time.
  • “Ongoing Price” means the price for the applicable Ongoing Subscription Term calculated by the Company. This will be shared with the school at least 30 days prior to the renewal date. It is dependent on the number of classes whose parents or carers are offered access to the Learning with Parents Package, as reported by the School in accordance with clause 4.5 below.
  • “Ongoing Subscription Term” means the term which shall begin at the end of the previous Subscription Term and last for one year.
  • “Permitted Users” means the School’s current staff, and parents and carers of pupils currently at the School, in each case as at the applicable time of use.
  • “Price” means, in respect of the Initial Subscription Term, the Initial Price or the Ongoing Price, in respect of the applicable Ongoing Subscription Term.
  • “Price Calculation” means the value calculated using the formula agreed upon initial sign-up, or updated upon renewal.
  • “Subscription Term” means the Initial Subscription Term or the Ongoing Subscription Term, as applicable.
  • “Videos” means the videos provided within the Learning with Parents Package which consist of short clips of children explaining school techniques and are supported by related activities that parents can complete with their child.
  • “Website” means mathswithparents.com, learningwithparents.com, learningwithparents.org, englishwithparents.com or any subdomain of those domains, as appropriate.

2. Learning with Parents Package

In consideration of the School paying the applicable Price to the Company (in accordance with clause 5 below) the Company grants the School a nonexclusive, non-transferable, revocable licence to access, and to allow the Permitted Users to access, the Learning with Parents Package during the Subscription Term.

3. Company’s Obligations

Subject to payment by the School of the Price (in accordance with clause 5 below), and compliance by the School with its obligations under clause 4 below, the Company agrees to:

3.1 provide the Learning with Parents Package to the School and use reasonable endeavours to ensure it can be accessed by the Permitted Users at all reasonable times.

3.2 work with the School to support increased parental engagement

4. School’s Obligations

4.1 provide the Company with such information and materials as the Company may reasonably require to supply the Learning with Parents Package and ensure that such information is accurate in all material respects;

4.2 ensure that only the Permitted Users use the Learning with Parents Package and that they do so inaccordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement;

4.3 allow the use of the School’s name and logo on the Company’s website and marketing materials;

4.4 no later than 30 days prior to each Subscription Term, provide an accurate estimate of the number of classes whose parents or carers will be offered access to the Learning with Parents Package.

5. Payment

5.1 The Company shall invoice the School up to 30 days prior to the start of each Subscription Term, or earlier if requested by the School, in respect of the Initial price or Ongoing Price, as applicable.

5.2 The School agrees to pay each invoice submitted by the Company within 30 days of the date of the invoice to the account specified in the invoice.

6. Intellectual Property Rights

6.1 No part of the Website including but not limited to the Learning with Parents Package and Videos may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means to anyone other than the Permitted Users without the prior express written consent of the Company.

6.2 The School acknowledges and agrees that the Company owns all Intellectual Property Rights in the Website, the Learning with Parents Package and the Videos and except as expressly stated herein, this Agreement does not grant the School any rights to or in such Intellectual Property Rights.

6.3 The School shall promptly give notice in writing to the Company in the event that it becomes aware of any infringement of any Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company.

7. Termination

7.1 Without limiting its other rights or remedies each party may terminate this Agreement with immediate effect by giving written notice to the other party if:

7.1.1 the other party commits a material breach of its obligations under this Agreement and (if such breach is remediable) fails to remedy the breach within 30 days after receipt of notice in writing to do so; or

7.1.2 the other party’s financial position deteriorates to such an extent that its capability to adequately fulfil its obligations under the Agreement has been placed in jeopardy.

7.2 Without limiting its other rights or remedies the Company may terminate this Agreement with immediate effect if the School fails to pay any amount due under this Agreement on the due date for payment.

7.3 If the Agreement is terminated pursuant to this clause 7 during a Subscription Term, there will be no refund to the School of the amount of any Price paid by the School in respect of that Subscription Term.

8. Renewal

At the end of each Subscription Term, this Agreement shall automatically renew for one additional year as an Ongoing Subscription Term unless written notice of non-renewal is provided to the Company by the School at least 30 days prior to the expiration of the then-current Subscription Term.

9. Indemnity

The School shall indemnify the Company for any loss suffered by the Company as a result of the School breaching its obligations under this Agreement.

10. Variation

No variation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by the parties (or their authorised representatives).

11. Entire Agreement

11.1 This Agreement constitutes the entire Agreement between the parties and supersedes all previous agreements, arrangements and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to its subject matter.

11.2 Each party agrees that it shall have no remedies in respect of any statement, representation, assurance or warranty (whether made innocently or negligently) that is not set out in this Agreement.

11.3 Each party agrees that it shall have no claim for innocent or negligent misrepresentation or negligent misstatement based on any statement in this Agreement.

12. Assignments

Neither party shall assign, transfer, subcontract, or deal in any other manner with any or all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

13. Counterparts

This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when executed shall constitute a duplicate original, but all the counterparts shall together constitute the one agreement.

14. Third Party Rights

This Agreement does not confer any rights on any person or party other than the parties to this Agreement and where applicable their successors and permitted assigns pursuant to the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.

15. Governing Law

This Agreement and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with it or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of England and Wales.

16. Jurisdiction

Each party irrevocably agrees that the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with this Agreement or its subject matter or formation (including non-contractual disputes or claims).

The parties acknowledge that they have read and understand this Agreement and voluntarily accept the duties and obligations set forth herein.