Genevieve Clarke, The Reading Agency Kathryn Wallis, Peterborough Regional College

1. Everyone’s a winner
the Six Book Challenge in colleges
Genevieve Clarke, The Reading Agency
Kathryn Wallis, Peterborough Regional College

2. The Reading Agency
• Independent national charity
• Mission to give everyone an equal chance in life by
helping them to become enthusiastic and confident
readers. Because everything changes when we read
• Formal partnership with public libraries
• Work with broadcasters, publishers, government at
national level
• Work with libraries, schools, colleges, prisons,
workplaces at local level

3. “Books have no place in this course; it’s about
learning to read!”
Basic skills tutor
“The students didn’t think they could learn
through reading. It’s been a revelation to them
that they could enjoy a book and still be
learning.”
Skills for Life tutor, Tameside

4. Learners
engaged in
(more) text
Learners
enjoy
reading
Learners
practise
skills
Learners
improve
skills
Learners
want to
read more

5. Why?
• 5.1 million adults of working age are STILL at
the level expected of an 11 year old (moved
from 16% to 15% since 2003)
• 14.8 million adults would not achieve a GCSE
at A* - C grade (improved from 39.5% to
28.5% since 2003)
2011 Skills for Life Survey: Headline findings
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Dec 2011

6. • 16-24 year olds in England are rated 22nd our
of 24 countries for literacy.
• They have slightly worse skills than people
aged between 55 and 65.
Survey of Adult Skills (PIACC), OECD, Oct 2013

7. Policy context
• Colleges in their Communities – May 2012
• Emphasis on partnership but where are libraries?
• Move from Skills for Life to Functional Skills
• Rise in participation age
• 13/14 – to 17; 14/15 – to 18
• Focus on GCSE
• Emphasis on English and Maths
• Imperative to achieve Grade C

8. Support from The Reading Agency
• Advocacy for libraries’ role
• Links with national initiatives eg
Quick Reads, BBC campaigns
• R & D – reading for pleasure at Entry Level, potential
for using digital games
• Reading Groups for Everyone, Mood-Boosting Books
• World Book Night
• Practical schemes – Six Book Challenge

9. What is the Six Book Challenge?
• An invitation to read six books or other ‘materials’
and record reading in a diary
• Library support for choosing what to read
• Creative activity such as reading groups
• Incentives to increase retention
• Certificate for those who read six books
(participation certificate for less)
• A proven way of engaging and motivating adults to
improve their literacy skills

10. Our vision
• That people’s attitudes to reading, both in
print and online, are changed by taking part
in the Six Book Challenge, whether or not
they are already readers.
• Priority audience – those who struggle with
the written word
• Also powerful for lapsed readers

11. Six Book Challenge 2008-13
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
16000
2008
total
7000
2009
total
9000
2010
total
13,500
2011
total
18,000
2012
total
23,500
2013
total
35,000
Public libraries
Colleges
Prisons
Workplaces

12. 2013 headline results
• 35,000 people registered
• 13,000 through public libraries and partners
• 13,500 in over 100 FE and sixth form colleges
• 7000 in prisons
• 1500 in workplaces
• 90% of survey respondents said they felt
more confident about reading
• 65 organisations achieved more than
50 completers – 23 colleges

13. Colleges
Completers at Westminster Kingsway College

14. Kathryn Wallis
Learning Resources Co-ordinator,
Library+
Peterborough Regional College/
University Centre Peterborough
kathryn.wallis@peterborough.ac.uk
The Six Book Challenge

15. Who are we?
• Peterborough Regional College
• Library+

16. How did it start?
• What other colleges do
• Thinking big or thinking small?

17. What did we want?
Curriculum liaison, making links:
• A “friendly face”
• Marketing “sideways”

18. What did we get?
The negatives
• Organised chaos!
• Disappointing completions
The positives
• A great time
• Real heroes
• A learning experience...

19. ...and this year...
Don’t forget!
Everyone who has completed the
Six Book Challenge is invited to a
celebration on
Wednesday 11th June at 12pm @
University Centre Peterborough
room 015.
It is essential you reply to reserve
your place
Please reply to Library+ in person,
by phone (01733 762137)
or e-mail
library@peterborough.ac.uk)
by 21st May at the latest!

20. ...and this year...
Our Six Book Challenge Celebration

21. ...and this year...
Added value:
• Very good relations with sectors involved
• Fiction reflects student requests
• OFSTED recognition

22. Top tips...
• Get teaching staff ‘on board’
• Integrate into English courses
• Treat challengers as VIPs – encourage them
• Make it fit your needs
• Sell to staff as relaxation
• Hang on to the diaries
• Have a party!
• Get stuck in!

23. Kathryn Wallis
Learning Resources Co-ordinator,
Library+
Peterborough Regional College/
University Centre Peterborough
kathryn.wallis@peterborough.ac.uk
The Six Book Challenge

24. Six Book Challenge 2014

25. Six Book Challenge 2014
• Support from Martina Cole as Ambassador
• Packs to promote the Challenge and run it with 50
people January – June 2014
• Discounts for multiple packs and reading diaries
• Prize draws deadline Monday 30 June
• Data return deadline Monday 7 July
• Gold/silver/bronze award scheme – 25 learning
providers in 2013

26. NEW Six Book Challenge website
• www.readingagency.org.uk/sixbookchallenge
• Sponsored by mobile company Three
• Adding a digital dimension to the Six Book Challenge
• Participants can create a an online profile, log, rate
and review what they read
• Search for next read in our unique Find a read
database – nearly 700 items (pre-Entry – Level 2)
• Printed books PLUS ebooks, audio, large print,
newspapers, digital games

27. Selection criteria
• Readability level – SMOG formula
• Length, design, layout, type size
• ‘Proper’ book – no comprehension exercises, no
‘easy reader’ label
• Hook to engage reader/interest factor
• Straightforward structure, short chapters and
paragraphs, simple sentences
• Beginner readers NOT beginner thinkers!

28. Emergent reader publishers
• www.quickreads.org.uk
• www.accentpress.co.uk
• www.newisland.ie
• www.barringtonstoke.co.uk
• www.ransom.co.uk
• www.axiseducation.co.uk
• www.newleafbooks.org.uk
• www.gatehousebooks.org.uk
• www.readwellroad.com

29. Tips for colleges
• Partnership across the college
• Profile for the library
• Promotion
• Prizes
• Persistence
• Party!

30. Six Book Challenge 2013-17
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
2013 total
35,000
2014 total
37,750
2015 total
40,000
2016 total
45,000
2017 total
50,000
Public libraries
Colleges
Prisons
Workplaces

31. “When improving students’ life chances by gaining a
GCSE in English is seen as the door that opens up
opportunities for young people and adults, it is so
important to establish reading competency but also
reading fluency and enjoyment. The Six Book Challenge
is helping to establish reading as a pleasurable activity
and demonstrates its impacts on students skills
development.”
Joy Mercer, Policy Director (Education),
Association of Colleges

32. New developments and questions
• New design ‘Read anything. Read anywhere.’
• Ambassadors?
• Timescale change to cater for colleges
• 19 June – announced new materials
• 14 July – order deadline for September delivery
• 7 October – Early Bird deadline
• Fully integrated website
• What works best for colleges?

34. Contact
• www.readingagency.org.uk/sixbookchallenge
• Genevieve Clarke
genevieve.clarke@readingagency.org.uk
0871 750 2104 / 07500 010 620