Your Story Corner Programme: Rochdale

Why are we there?

Rochdale has a high-level need for literacy support. Children in Rochdale are facing significant challenges when it comes to literacy, with a large number of pupils falling below the expected reading levels compared to the national average. 

Poverty can play a major factor in this, and Rochdale has high levels of child poverty, with a high portion of children qualifying for Free School Meals – a key indicator of economic hardship. 

43% of children aged 0 – 15 live in ​“relative poverty” in Rochdale, compared with a national average of 20%, which can mean many families struggle to provide the resources and support children need to thrive in school.

We were delighted to offer schools in these areas the resources to develop a whole-school reading culture and embed reading for pleasure into the lives of their pupils.

What did we do?

We awarded funding to many schools in Rochdale to reinvigorate their libraries and reading spaces.