Become a reading mentor partner school
Reading mentors support primary school children to build their reading confidence through weekly one-to-one sessions in school or online. IB CAS and DofE compatible.
Helping readers grow and students thrive
As a reading mentor in our One-to-one Reading Programme, 14 to 18-year-olds have the opportunity to read with a primary school child who is at risk of falling behind.
Your students will read one‑to‑one with a child (aged 5 – 11) from one of our partner primary schools. Mentors deliver 30‑minute sessions once or twice weekly, reading stories and playing literacy‑based games with the same child over a sustained period.
As the National Year of Reading’s official partner for youth volunteering, we provide all safeguarding, training and structured resources, making the reading programme straightforward for schools to run and delivering real impact for children who need extra reading support.
Register your school’s interest below and we’ll arrange a short call to talk through how reading mentorship could work in your school.
Bookmark helps to connect young people in different stages of their development and allows them to help each other. Their pupils learn crucial literacy skills, and our pupils develop their ability to empathise, educate, and inspire. It has been a formative experience for everyone involved, and I hope we can continue to grow these relationships and put our wonderful pupils to good use in the community.
Why schools choose reading mentorship
As a reading mentor, your students can develop leadership, empathy and communication skills, while supporting children who need extra help with reading. The programme is:
✅ Fully safeguarded and compliant
✅ Structured mentor training
✅ Counts towards a International Baccalaureate (CAS)
✅ Fulfils the volunteering section of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
✅ Ongoing support from our team
✅ Minimal admin for school staff
Easy to run for schools. Transformational for children and students.
What schools and reading mentors say
We take pride in offering a volunteer role that is impactful, enjoyable and empowering for young people.
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The Reading Mentor Programme gave my personal statement a boost which set it apart from the average applicant for UCAS - volunteering is really helpful and definitely gives that lift to any application.
Reading mentor, St George's Weybridge 
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The onboarding and setup process was clear, well organised, and easy to follow. Bookmark provided helpful guidance at each stage, which made implementation straightforward and ensured pupils felt prepared and confident before beginning the programme.
Head of Service, Haileybury 
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When I started off, I wasn't really sure how to properly communicate with my reader... but towards the end I feel like I've developed skills and I've been able to communicate with them better and help them learn better as well.
Reading mentor, St Georges Weybridge
