Beanstalk’s service is simple yet highly effective. We recruit, train and support volunteers to provide consistent, one-to-one literacy support to children aged 3-13 who need our help. Our trained reading helpers give them the support they need to improve their reading ability and confidence.


The children we help may have fallen behind with their reading, lack confidence, or struggle with their fluency, comprehension or vocabulary.

Our one-to-one reading support changes the child's life: 

  • Improving their reading ability
  • Inspiring confidence in their own ability
  • Increasing their enjoyment of reading

Beanstalk reading helpers are trained to recognise what challenges each child faces and tailor their sessions to support each child.

Each Beanstalk trained reading helper works with on average three children and provides consistent support on a weekly basis, for a whole school year. Together, they read, play and talk. With Beanstalk's support the child's approach to reading and learning is often transformed:

  • 97% of schools say that Beanstalk's service saved their staff's valuable time.
  • 96% of schools would recommend Beanstalk to other schools.
  • 94% of schools say that Beanstalk reading helpers enabled them to offer one-to-one support to children that would be difficult to provide otherwise.
  • 98% of schools agreed that their reading helpers helped children to improve their enjoyment of reading.
  • 99% of schools agreed that their reading helpers helped children to improve their confidence.
  • 97% of schools agreed that their reading helpers helped children to improve their attitude to reading.

If you would like to help transform a child's life, you can find out more about becoming a Beanstalk trained reading helper here.