Schools

Letterbox Club parcels can inspire a love of reading and engagement with numeracy for vulnerable children in your school. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the programme:

How are children selected for the programme?

Each school decides which children they will register to be members of the Letterbox Club. As well as children who are looked-after, the programme is suitable for other children you think would benefit.

Schools can enrol as few or as many children as they wish. This has varied depending on individual capacity and budget to run the programme. Many schools have said that the Letterbox Club would also support vulnerable children who are on the edge of being in care.

How do we explain the programme to those that aren't involved?

This will vary as each school decides which children they will register for the Letterbox Club. Some schools have not had to address this, but others that have suggested the following:

• 'We give out the parcels discreetly to participating children.'
• 'The parcels are given out from school to parents or carers, usually without the children knowing so they think they have been delivered to them personally. The children love this!'
• 'It is explained as being another Pupil Premium intervention opportunity'.
• 'I give the parcels out to the parents or carers with a letter inside from school. This then stops questions being asked from other children.'

How much administration is required?

BookTrust is unable to hold contact details for participating children and therefore schools are required to distribute the parcels each month.

We recommend that each school identifies a member of staff to coordinate the programme, who will:

• Address each parcel to the child
• Post or give out the parcels each month

This year, to reduce the amount of admin, the child letters have been inserted at the warehouse. If you would still like to personalise them, you can remove them from the parcels and add the children's names.

If you would like advice about programme administration, please contact Stephen Rusbridge.

When are the parcels delivered?

The parcels are delivered in bulk to schools in May. Children should then receive one parcel per month for the six months from May to October - so they get six parcels each in total. For large orders, you will get six, monthly deliveries between May and October.

Have you evaluated the impact of the programme?

Research and Evaluation is an important part of the Letterbox Club. A number of evaluations have been conducted to look at the impact of the programme and we continue to evaluate the Letterbox Club across the UK. Surveys and feedback forms are also available for Letterbox coordinators to use with children and families taking part.

Read the Letterbox Club evaluation reports here

Letterbox Club coordinators

If you are signed-up for the Letterbox Club then you can access the coordinators' area and find useful information and resources to help you administer the programme, including delivery dates, parcel contents, book descriptions, template letters and feedback forms.
 
Letterbox Coordinators have been sent details of how to access the coordinators’ area, please contact us if you haven’t received this or need other assistance letterbox@booktrust.org.uk