Teens Spark Pre-school Children's Love for Reading

Three community-minded Year 12 students from Outwood Post 16 Centre, Valley Road, have taken a proactive step to boost early years literacy in their local community after being inspired by the National Literacy Trust's "Go All In" National Year of Reading campaign.

The students delivered the project as part of the "Out There" programme, an initiative which provides students across the Outwood Family of Schools, aged 5-18, with resources and funding to spearhead volunteering projects within their communities. Emily Ollier, Alexander Oldham, and Kiana Lam, using the name "Team Bookworms", collaborated with Little Acorns Pre-School in Shireoaks to create, design, and deliver a bespoke storybook tailored specifically for the children.

The book was uniquely crafted in collaboration with the pre-school to ensure the content mirrored the children’s real-world experiences during the past year of preschool. Then, on Wednesday, 8 July, the students visited Little Acorns to read the story aloud and lead an interactive workshop.

To help the children prepare for their upcoming transition to primary school, the Post 16 students supported them in writing their names in the books, a key milestone for children to meet during the Early Years Foundation Stage. The children also got to customise their new books using stickers created by the students themselves.

Beyond the reading session, the team discussed favourite books with the children and actively promoted the National Summer Reading Challenge at Worksop Library, where Emily and Alexander will be volunteering over the school holidays. Every child walked away with a book featuring a QR code that allows parents to easily scan it and sign up for the summer initiative online.

Sue Turner, manager at Little Acorns, said:

“It was a pleasure to welcome the Post 16 students as part of their Out There project. They brought genuine curiosity and enthusiasm, and it was fantastic to see them engage with the session, asking thoughtful questions and sharing their ideas with confidence.

“The students demonstrated a real commitment to learning beyond the classroom, and moments like this help to broaden horizons and build skills for their next steps.”

Janette Shea, head of centre at Outwood Post 16 Centre Worksop, added:

“We are immensely proud of Emily, Alex, and Kiana for taking the initiative to support early literacy in our local area. The 'Out There' programme is designed to empower students to make a meaningful difference in their communities, and Team Bookworms has done exactly that. It is wonderful to see them inspire these young children while also discovering a personal passion for teaching along the way.”

The project has not only made a lasting impression on the pre-school children but has also sparked a profound shift in the career aspirations of the teenagers involved; all three students shared that they are now seriously considering teaching as a career option.