It is a winter lunchtime in the most deprived ward in Hackney, east London. The windows of the surrounding tower blocks are shut firmly against the cold and litter blows in the wind. However, this doesn't stop the excited shouts or wipe the smiles off pupils' faces at Thomas Fairchild Community School as they run out to meet their "Linklater" - a reading buddy from the City law firm Linklaters, which is based a mile down the road.
The pupils beam with pride as they give up a break, playing with friends, in favour of 30 minutes' one-to-one reading with their mentor. "It has a very high status among pupils and a very low drop-out rate," reveals the primary school's head teacher Alasdair Friend.
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