VOLUNTEERS are helping an Oxford school forge closer links with a local library.

St Nicholas Primary School, in Old Marston, is one of the schools which has signed up to take part in the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign, aimed at improving standards and encouraging a love of reading.

Alongside the Oxford Mail-backed campaign of one-to-one reading with volunteers and teaching assistant-led reading interventions, the school has been working closely with Old Marston Library to make sure children quite literally take their love of reading home with them.

For the past year, pairs of adults, including sixth form pupils at Magdalen College School, have been taking small groups of children to the library to explore the selection of books – and take some home with them to share with the wider family.

The scheme is co-ordinated by Julia Drown, mum to St Nicholas pupil Ottilie, nine, and former pupil Dexter, 13.

She said: “For some it is the first time they have ever been to a library.

“We have had feedback about how children have taken their families too, outside school, so it is fantastic to extend the opportunities and services the library provide to their own families.

“It is also exciting for the children because they get a lot of individual attention and build up a good relationship with staff.”

About 30 Year 2 children, aged six and seven, have so far been involved in the Library Link Scheme, which it is planned to extend to other pupils from September.

Gill Shepherd, a retired accounts clerk from Old Marston, is among the five volunteers currently taking part.

The 61-year-old said: “The main thing I get out of it is the enthusiasm of the children – they are really keen to go.

“Whatever reading stage they are at, they really enjoy going and choosing their books.

“It is pretty good in this day of technology that they still like the written word.”

Headteacher Rachel Crouch was full of praise for how the scheme had benefited youngsters.

She said: “This will help them in all their learning.

“It has been lovely to see the children, not only joining the library, but talking about how they are taking their families to visit the library too.”

New volunteers to help run the scheme are needed.

Anyone who can give up an hour once a week to take the children, with one adult taking two youngsters and all grown-ups working in pairs, to the library, should contact Ms Drown on juliad@phonecoop.com or ring the school on 01865 242838.