Chelsea And England Defender Levi Colwill Launched Free National Reading Programme For UK Primary Schools With StoryZoo

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK” Levi Colwill has partnered with StoryZoo to give every UK primary school free access to 1,000 digital books for a full year, launching a major national campaign to get children reading for pleasure again.

England and Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has partnered with UK education platform StoryZoo to launch a major nationwide initiative aimed at reversing the sharp decline in children’s reading engagement. The defender recently spoke about the project on the popular Teach, Sleep, Repeat podcast, highlighting the urgent need to get more children reading for pleasure.

Levi Colwill Launches Reading Initiative at Southampton School

To mark the launch, Levi returned to his roots in Southampton and visited St Mary’s School — a local school attended by members of his family. He led an engaging school assembly, met pupils, and officially launched a national reading challenge encouraging children across the UK to rediscover the joy of reading.

As part of the partnership, St Mary’s School will receive free long-term access to StoryZoo, while the wider national rollout is now open to all UK primary schools.

Free Access to 1,000 E-Books for Every UK Primary School

Every primary school in the UK can now access StoryZoo’s full digital reading platform completely free for a full year. Schools simply register using a school email address — with no contracts and no hidden costs.

The platform provides up to 1,000 age-appropriate e-books, making reading more accessible, enjoyable, and consistent for young children while supporting teachers and families.

Why Levi Colwill is Championing Children’s Literacy

Levi’s involvement stems from his deep belief that education and literacy create real opportunity. Growing up aware of how slim the chances are of becoming a professional footballer, education was always a priority in his family.

Through this partnership with StoryZoo, he aims to remove barriers to reading and help children build confidence, imagination, and skills through stories from an early age.

The Alarming Decline in Children’s Reading Habits

The initiative comes at a critical time, as reading engagement among UK children has reached its lowest level on record:

• Only 1 in 5 children now read daily
• Fewer than one third of children say they enjoy reading
• 40% of adults have not read a book in the past year
• Reading to young children has fallen sharply over the past decade
• Children who enjoy reading consistently achieve stronger literacy outcomes

About StoryZoo

StoryZoo is a UK-based EdTech platform designed to help primary-aged children develop a genuine love of reading. The platform supports schools with engaging digital books and interactive tools for reading for pleasure, home learning, and classroom engagement.

How Schools Can Join the Free Programme

Participation is straightforward and open to all UK primary schools. Simply register with a school email address to unlock a full year of free access to StoryZoo’s extensive e-book library.

This collaboration between a Premier League and England footballer and an innovative UK EdTech company delivers a significant boost for children’s literacy across the country.

Levi Colwill’s message is clear: reading opens doors. With free access now available, schools, teachers, and families have a powerful new resource to help the next generation fall in love with books.

Fine StoryZoo now:

StoryZoo: https://storyzoo.org/