Their parents are so proud of them reading books at home

When we applied for Every Child A Reader, we were honest about our school, our community and what we face, the everyday struggles and how literacy is so important, and exposure for literacy is so important, not only to the children, but to the parents in the community as well. 

It was just unbelievable to get this programme, the whole package that came with Every Child a Reader has just been phenomenal. Phenomenal for the school, for the atmosphere in the school, the wellbeing of the school, for the children. It's even been incredible for the parents.

I'm seeing a huge difference in how this programme has impacted home life. We are a very underprivileged and forgotten about community at times. We hear about the negativity, always in the media, and we're automatically associated with that. Being on the ground and in my home school role, I see so much more. I see parents that don't want their children to be exposed to the problems we face, that will walk different ways to and from school so that their children don't have to witness what's happening. I see parents that get up every time you have a committee meeting to attend and make the community better. I think it is just amazing. It’s parents who make this community, and they're so invested and they are often forgotten about.

When we got the posters up to say that we had won, there was huge commotion in the community. It was amazing. We always knew our school was great but to have won this… what an opportunity, it made all the difference! I was so taken aback by the commitment and range of parents that came in and wanted to get involved. It was just so lovely to see. And the fact that they were able to hear from the team at Children’s Books Ireland that reading isn't just reading a book. It's listening to music, it’s playing games, it's having conversations. It's all the things they are already doing, it was empowering. That reassurance that they got, that they are already doing great, was so important and opened up lovely conversations that we were having about the library, and we were able to talk to them about how their children were engaging with and enjoying the books in a way that was really special. We had never won anything like this before. They're proud to send their children to our school. They know how much work happens in the school, and they were delighted that the school got recognized, it was a really big deal.

I think that's the whole thing that I'm learning about our school through this programme as well is the importance of community, that we are only with the children for a certain amount of hours, but if we don't have buy in from the parents, nothing's going to take off. We are a very open-door policy school. We want our parents in for as much as possible. Every Child A Reader has just boosted the literacy and the involvement of literacy from home life into school in a big way. For example, the teachers have been taking the children to their local library more, and one teacher put it out to the parents to join in and invited anyone who's free to come, and out of a class of 17, about 12 parents came which was unbelievable. They came with us, they all joined the library, and they were amazed by all of the different activities and different things that are involved with the library and could see how it was for them too. 

The impact has been unbelievable. We see the difference all around us. The children are reading so much more, loving the library, they are going around with their little lists of books they want and ticking them off, parents are sending in videos and pictures of the kids reading books at home. They are having fun around reading. The teachers are bringing their children to the library more, because the children are actually engaged in reading. The parents are so proud of them reading books at home and it’s all credit to their involvement in the programme too. That’s what we want, for reading to be part of everything, not for it to just be within the class at a certain time. 

By just changing the different activities we do around books and reading that has transformed things. Whether it's the walk to the library or sharing pictures of the kids reading in the yard, or sending in pictures of them reading at home, they're becoming more open and more engaged. It’s just easier now to engage them in literacy because of the fun and joy that this programme has brought to our community. It’s taken the pressure away and brought a lightness and fun to it all. This programme has changed the whole school and community’s attitude to reading, now it’s not a chore it’s a fun pastime! 

About Every Child a Reader 

Every Child A Reader brings several Children’s Books Ireland school book-gifting programmes together under one name. Drawing on the organisation’s vision, we want every child in the selected schools to be reading more, enjoying reading more and reading more widely. We hope to enable positive, sustainable changes in these schools by providing brilliant books, engaging resources, and inspiring visits from Champions of Reading. 

About The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal 

The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal began in 2020 and was inspired by the story of the late Saoirse Ruane from Kiltullagh, Co Galway, who won the hearts of the nation when she appeared on The Late Late Toy Show. Managed on behalf of RTÉ by Community Foundation Ireland, the fund has raised over €31 million to date and distributed grants to hundreds of local and national registered charities and organisations across the island of Ireland. By funding essential support, health, wellbeing, play and creativity, the appeal aims to change children's lives for good.