02 December 2019
Making Reading Ahead work for prisoners with ESOL
This four-page leaflet draws together the findings, practical tips and creative tools from our three-year project to support prisoners with ESOL funded by The Bell Foundation. Please scroll down this resources page to find other downloadable items.

28 October 2019
Reading Ahead 2019-20: Have Your Say
We hope you have enjoyed taking part in Reading Ahead 2019-20. For a chance to win a £25 shopping voucher, please tell us about your Reading Ahead experience by answering the quick and easy questions in the survey below. Thank...

17 October 2019
Guide to running Reading Ahead 2019-20
This is a comprehensive guide to running Reading Ahead which explains how the programme works, some best practice case studies, key contacts and how we evaluate the programme. Please do get in touch if you have any further questions.

25 September 2019
Quick Reads back catalogue 2006 - 2020
Quick Reads began in 2006. Since then 4.8 million copies of more than 100 titles have been distributed! The books have been loaned more than five million times through libraries. The 2020 list are currently available to pre-order from all major...

11 September 2019
The Wilbur & Niso Smith Adventure Writing resources
The Reading Agency has been working with The Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation to promote adventure writing. These resources are mainly targeted at students in further education and sixth form colleges who may also be taking part in Reading Ahead....

06 September 2019
Reading Ahead 2019-20 Advocacy Leaflet for Prisons
Here is a one-pager about Reading Ahead in prisons with endorsements from participants and organisers in prisons for you to use when putting the case for the programme. It’s not intended for use with prisoners themselves.

09 November 2018
Evaluation of the Reading Ahead ESOL pilot
This reports on the third year of our project for prisoners with ESOL funded by The Bell Foundation and draws on evidence from the previous two years.

07 November 2018
The Reading Agency booklists for ESOL learners
Here are two booklists compiled as part of the Reading Ahead with ESOL in prisons project funded by The Bell Foundation together with some guidance provided by NATECLA. These are useful for anyone working with young people and adults with...

07 November 2018
Words and Memories: Creative writing by ESOL learners
This collection of writing by prisoners whose first language is not English was produced over the course of six workshops in three UK prisons – HMP Downview, HMP High Down and HMP Thameside – between May and July 2018. ...

07 November 2018
ESOL Creative writing in prison materials pack
This is a pack of guidance for anyone wanting to run a creative writing workshop with prisoners whose first language is not English. It includes a powerpoint, notes for workshop leaders, guidance for workshop assistants and several handouts for...

07 November 2018
Creative activities for using with Reading Ahead for prisoners with ESOL
These seven documents provide a wide range of activities for using alongside Reading Ahead for prisoners with English as a Second Language or Additional Language. They have been created by David Kendall as part of a project funded by...

02 November 2018
A Society of Readers - executive summary
A new report that we commissioned from leading independent think tank Demos lays out the central role reading must play in helping to address many of the most pressing challenges British society will face over the next decade. Read the...

02 November 2018
A Society of Readers
A new report lays out the central role reading must play in helping to address many of the most pressing challenges British society will face over the next decade. Read the full report and share your thoughts on Twitter and...

19 September 2018
Reading Ahead 2017-18 Evaluation Report
This reports on the impact of Reading Ahead 2017-18 on participants and participating organisations. It is based on survey returns from individual participants and from public libraries, learning providers, prisons and workplaces taking part in the programme.

22 November 2017
Reading Ahead 2016-17 Evaluation Report
This reports on the impact of Reading Ahead 2016-17 on participants and participating organisations. It is based on survey returns from individual participants and from public libraries, learning providers, prisons and workplaces taking part in the programme.

12 October 2017
Guidance to support reading for pleasure for prisoners with ESOL
This is a document compiled by Jenny Roden and Celine Castelino from NATECLA (National Association for Teaching English and Community Languages to Adults) to accompany their list of book recommendations for people learning English as a Second or Additional Language...

29 January 2016
Reading for Pleasure and Reading Circles for Adult Emergent Readers
Reading for Pleasure and Reading Circles for Adult Emergent Readers aims to provide practical tips and things to think about for anyone interested in running a reading group of any kind – librarians, community workers, teachers and non-teachers, including anyone...