Book clubs and library membership

The Department for Education (DfE) wants to fund an organisation or consortium to provide support to state-funded schools with key stage 2 pupils on setting up book clubs for key stage 2 pupils and enrolling their year 3 pupils with a public library. The main aims will be to develop pupils’ spoken language, by enabling children to discuss the books they have read in a non-classroom but structured setting, and to develop their love of literature through widespread reading for pleasure.

The bid should set out how you intend to set up and deliver a national programme of support to state-funded schools with key stage 2 pupils. This will include two different levels of support: a. direct advice and support to targeted schools in greatest need (i.e. with low KS2 reading results) on establishing book clubs and enrolling their year 3 pupils in a public library.

We expect between 100 and 200 schools to establish book clubs and enrol pupils in a public library as a result of this direct advice and support by 31 March 2016; and b. resources available to all schools on establishing book clubs and enrolling pupils in public libraries. We envisage at least 1,000 schools accessing these resources by 31 March 2016.