At Spark! we want to build excitement and enjoyment in reading in all schools. We believe that children should have access to a wide range of quality literature that both engages them and represents all readers from across our diverse communities. Above all else, we believe in the life-changing power of stories.

We were founded in 2020, in the middle of a pandemic, by a small independent team who have been supported by Coombe Hill Junior School, Achieving for Children and the Councils of Kingston and Richmond upon Thames. Hugely encouraged by the enthusiasm, hard work and support of local teachers, librarians and other professionals for this initiative, we have seen that demand for such an initiative is huge and as we continue to grow, we look to involve more and more schools in our vision.

In 2022, we achieved charitable status and also formed a partnership with The Open University, who share in our vision - to provide a gateway to some great book choices for children and ensure access to books for all. This new partnership gave us a fantastic opportunity to further develop the work of both organisations and will, in due course, enable Spark! schools to also benefit from OU’s expertise in promoting the reading for pleasure agenda across the country.

Spark! School Book Awards

Org chart

Teams

Offices