Four sixth form students from the Jack Hunt Secondary School, part of the Peterborough Keys Academies Trust, have been doing some key work through literacy volunteering.

Four 18-year-old students, in Year 13, were also chosen to attend the coronation and watch a special screening of the royal wedding and represent Jack Hunt Secondary School and the National Literacy Trust.

Annie Whyman, Devonne Piccaver, Keira Rotondo, and Sehare Shezad are volunteers, known as literary champions, and support their community in Peterborough by peer reading with younger pupils who struggle with confidence and enjoyment.

In the year since they began volunteering, they have created a peer reading scheme in their school, where they spend mornings mentoring pupils in Year 7 and 8.

They meet once or twice a week to read together, exploring books on the curriculum and new texts and forms, including poetry, illustration, news and lyrics.

They also inspire their fellow students and learn from each other, finding connections within their school hallways. This has been especially important as schools work to make sure young people are achieving their potential after the disruption of the pandemic.

Sally Atkinson, Peterborough Reads Hub manager, said: “These volunteers have done wonderful work to make a difference and improve literacy in their school.

We know encouragement and recommendations from peers have a different impact than advice from teachers, parents and adults. Some children find it more relatable and may be more likely to admit challenges to someone closer in age. Our youth literacy champions play a key role in helping every child to find enjoyment in reading."

Wendy Gooding, assistant head teacher at the Jack Hunt School, said: "I am delighted to have been able to nominate four fantastic Year 13 students to represent Jack Hunt School at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They have completed national training to upskill themselves as Literacy Champions and have enthusiastically and skilfully engaged with our KS3 students to support them in accelerating their literacy levels."

She added: “The support the school has received from the National Literacy Trust over the past few years should also be recognised – the expertise they can offer along with novel ideas and events will have a positive impact on outcomes for our young people.”

The National Literacy Trust works to empower children and young people with the reading, writing, and communication skills they need to succeed in life. Low literacy skills are inextricably connected to poverty and disadvantage; our work in Peterborough and across the country helps improve life chances and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.