Letterbox Extra is for children with special educational needs. The scheme became available across the UK this year, following a successful pilot in 2009.
The Letterbox Club sends parcels containing books, story CDs, maths games and items of stationery, once a month for 6 months, to looked-after children in Years 3-4 (aged 7-8) and Years 5-6 (aged 10-11) and other vulnerable children who need additional support. The parcels are suitable for children working at National Curriculum levels 1 to 4.
Letterbox Extra extends the Letterbox Club to children who are working below Level 1; most of the children will have a statement of special educational needs. Letterbox Extra provides maths activities that concentrate on counting with numbers smaller than 10, recognising numbers and writing numbers. Books and CDs will be chosen that are age-appropriate but that can be used by children who have not started independent reading.
The parcels became available in 2010 by subscription across the UK, in the same pattern as Letterbox Club at a cost of £115 per child per year.
The development of materials and the evaluation was carried out by the University of Leicester School of Education.
Click here to see the Letterbox Extra parcel contents for 2010
