A NEW report has highlighted the improvements that literacy charity workers are making to the reading skills of County Durham and Teesside youngsters.

Beanstalk is a national charity with a Durham and Tees Valley branch in Newton Aycliffe and its annual report reveals that 93 per cent of children improve their reading ability with Beanstalk reading helpers.

More than two thirds of the children helped by the charity improved their reading ability by 2.4 reading sub-levels and, on average, Key Stage One pupils increased their reading level by 3.8 sub-levels.

This is almost a whole level higher than the national average level of progression expected of children in this age group.

Beanstalk reading helpers work on a voluntary basis to provide one-to-one support twice a week to children struggling with reading.

Sue Porto, chief executive of the charity, was delighted with the results of the latest report.

She said: “For over 40 years, Beanstalk has worked in partnership with local primary schools to raise the literacy level of children.

“Our recently published Annual Review and Impact Report for 2013-14 highlights the measurable impact our reading helpers are able to have on young children.

“I am proud to say that 93 per cent of the children supported by Beanstalk in the 2013-14 academic year have showed a meaningful improvement in their reading level.”

The charity is in urgent need of volunteers and ff you would like to become a Beanstalk reading helper then visit beanstalkcharity.org.uk or call 020 7729 4087.