Nothing changes the trajectory of a life more than literacy. Shockingly, England has one of the lowest rates of adult literacy in the developed world. The seeds of this problem are sown early, with 36% of children from disadvantaged backgrounds leaving primary school unable to read adequately.

We need to urgently close this literacy gap. Learning to read takes practice, and too many 5- to 7-year-olds in disadvantaged communities don't have access to adequate reading support, and now, because of Covid, they have fallen even further behind.

That's where Innovations for Learning's TutorMate programme can help. TutorMate pairs working adults with struggling readers who use a bespoke online platform to read together each week. Currently operating in schools in London, Leeds, Doncaster, Bradford, Middlesbrough, Peterborough and East Sussex, it has the potential to transform the reading support landscape in this country.

Due to the disruptions caused by Covid-19, many children urgently need to focus on reading and rebuild their confidence.