Saturday Morning Literacy Schools
We run reading & writing improvement classes for children aged between 4 and 11 and Saturday morning schools during term time. These are usually held in community centres and other suitable venues across London. For reading ages up to about eight and a half, we use well structured phonics based textbooks. Beyond that reading age group, we tend to focus more on grammar and comprehension. Our volunteers use 'direct teaching' and carefully researched, proven effective whole-class teaching methods. Individually tailored training and ongoing support for volunteer classroom assistants is provided.
All of our volunteers aged 16 years and over, working regularly directly with children, are enhanced DBS checked.
Testimonials from some of our volunteers
1) "Volunteering at RDF has taught me so many new things and opened my eyes to the realities of the education gap. Being able to contribute to closing that gap has been such privilege". Dec. 2024
2) "My experience at RDF has helped me to grow as a person in so many ways. I have learnt invaluably from the team on how to teach and manage children to how to work as a team and organise with others. RDF has not only done so much to help me but has made such a large impact on the children that attend. From the beginning of my time there until now I have seen children blossom in confidence and their reading and writing skills have improved so much. I'm incredibly grateful to be part of such an amazing team and highly encourage anyone to come along if your thinking of volunteering". Dec. 2024.
General Volunteering Opportunities
We are continually researching and developing: tailored tuition, classes, workshops, mentoring, training, and other services supporting disadvantaged children and their families.
We are expanding our work in and around deprived parts of North and West London. We're always on the look out for volunteers, consultants, tutors and experts to help us.
We need dedicated, passionate volunteers to help with fundraising, surveys, research, I.T. support, administration etc. If any of these opportunities interest you, please click the blue Volunteering Form button below to get in touch with us.
