This film follows a group of primary schoolchildren as they learn to read, following each child as they take their first steps in to the world of the written word. Filmed in an ordinary British school, the programme will feature children from the great variety of backgrounds that make up today’s Britain. Some of them will make a flying start with their reading; others may struggle. Some will have many books at home, others few. Some may have parents who themselves have trouble reading, and others may have a parent who doesn’t speak English. In such cases a child’s literacy can be vital for the family. This film will discover the extraordinary power of literacy, beyond its educational importance. As the children learn to read it is as if the world around them is transformed. Through stories, they can be taken on a journey to discover far-flung places and meet a myriad of colourful characters. The film will give us privileged access to a profound process that all of us only ever do once in our lives.