Alumni and Friends

Nick Ovenden - ReadLondon Mentoring

ReadlondonNick Ovenden (Mbiol Molecular and Cellular Biology 2008) is launching an exciting new reading support programme for struggling primary pupils in inspirational London locations this summer. The scheme is still developing and is currently looking for additional funding and influential patrons to jump on board.

ReadLondon Mentoring aims to increase both interest in reading and the reading level of participating primary pupils. Nick selected schools eligible for Teach First support (high % of pupils on free school meals or low attainment).

What makes ReadLondon stand out is its use of London’s most beautiful classrooms. Nick is a firm believer that this will be the key to the scheme’s success.

London1He said: “I believe that if you read somewhere special, your reading experience is considerably more absorbing. That’s why instead of our Reading Coaches helping pupils in the classroom, we are taking them on a two-week summer tour of some of London’s most beautiful and awe-inspiring places to do it. Wouldn’t you rather read a book under a tree in Kew Gardens, in the front seats of Wembley Stadium or in the Houses of Parliament than in a classroom?”

LondonthreeAlthough a molecular and cell biologist by degree, Nick started in education with Teach First in 2009 and taught science in the West Midlands. There he experienced first-hand the effects of pupils attending secondary school without reaching adequate reading levels in Year 6. Some pupils in Year 11 sitting their GCSEs had reading ages of 7-10 and could barely interpret the questions in their exams. At that school and at his current school in Madrid, Nick gained experience in organising educational days out, running mentoring programmes and fundraising (his team of teachers raised almost £1,500 for Movember this year). He has also just completed his MA Educational Leadership at Warwick.

London 2Nick attributes some of his success to Bath’s community culture; “I’m grateful to Bath because my participation in URB radio, the Breakdance Society, ComePlay, ACS, Korean Society and other activities outside of my course gave me a really broad range of experiences and an open mind. That carried on after Bath with Teach First and it certainly contributed a great deal to creating the vision for ReadLondon”.

London4The ReadLondon scheme is a new experience for Nick and he is drawing inspiration from charities such as Beanstalk who are currently gaining much acclaim for their successes taking professional business people into schools for paired reading time with London’s primary pupils.

pic5Locations confirmed on the ReadLondon Journey:

Kew Gardens
Houses of Parliament
Tate Modern
Buckingham Palace
Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
Natural History Museum
bookGreenwich Naval College
Royal Airforce Museum
Westminster Abbey
Royal Opera House
Wembley Stadium 
 
Find out more:

www.facebook.com/readlondonmentoring  

www.twitter.com/read_london

 
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