Bright Sparks: Building Reading Confidence at Conway

Photograph: Tutors leading the programme, Hilary (left) and Mairi (right)

At Conway Education Centre, we are always looking for new ways to support the young people in our community. The Bright Sparks Phonics Project is one of the programmes we are most proud of, and the results speak for themselves.
 

What is the Bright Sparks Phonics Project?

Conway’s Homework Club provides homework support for primary and secondary school students from refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds here in Belfast. The Bright Sparks Phonics Project runs as part of the Homework Club, offering a structured literacy programme designed to build reading confidence, expand vocabulary, improve spelling, and develop pronunciation and writing skills. Rather than jumping straight in at the deep end, it works by building competencies step by step, with stories and reading always at the core. 
 
The programme is delivered through the Read Write Inc materials, a well-established approach to phonics and literacy that helps learners access and engage with texts in a more confident, structured way. 
 
We are grateful to LFT Charitable Trust Belfast, whose generous funding has made the Bright Sparks programme possible from January to June 2026.
 

Tailored to every stage

One of the strengths of Bright Sparks is how it adapts to the needs of the students following it. For younger or earlier-stage learners, the focus is on reading for pleasure, vocabulary building and pronunciation. For secondary students approaching their exams, the programme develops further to cover the essential skills needed in the English language exam, most crucially, how to deconstruct complex texts and write about them effectively.
 

The difference it is making

The impact on students has been clear to see. Mairi, one of the tutors who has led the programme since September 2025, puts it simply: 
 
“I have witnessed a huge increase in confidence in the students who have regularly attended and engaged in this project.” 
 
That growth in confidence is at the heart of what Bright Sparks sets out to do. Many of the young people who attend are navigating school in a language that is not their first, which brings its own pressures and challenges. Having a consistent, supportive space to work on literacy, at their own pace, without judgment, makes a real difference. 
 
And the students themselves make it easy. “After a long day at school, the young people arrive at homework club with enthusiasm, commitment and drive,” Mairi notes. “Their attitude towards improving their English is inspirational!”
 

Thank you to our tutors

None of this would be possible without the people who show up every week and make it happen. We are grateful to Mairi and Hilary for the dedication, skill and warmth they bring to every session. Their commitment to these young people goes above and beyond, and the Conway community is so much richer for it.

Support Bright Sparks

The Bright Sparks Phonics Project has made a real difference to the young people in our community, and we want to keep it going. If you would like to support the programme and help us continue this work into next year, any contribution, big or small, goes a long way. Your support means more students get the time, space and encouragement they need to build their confidence and find their feet. [Donation link or button here]

Find out more

If you would like to know more about the Bright Sparks Phonics Project or any of our other programmes at Conway Education Centre, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch here.