National Literacy Trust

When children enjoy reading and have books of their own at home, it can benefit all areas of their lives, from boosting their confidence and wellbeing to improving their academic performance and life chances – setting them up for a brighter future. What’s more, the potential benefits for the economy are significant. If all school-aged children in the UK read for pleasure every day, it could add £4.6 billion to the UK’s GDP each year. That’s why it matters that children’s enjoyment of reading has plummeted to an all-time low, with only a third saying they enjoy reading in their free time. Meanwhile, 1 in 10 children say they don’t own a single book, rising to 1 in 8 of those living in areas of high poverty. We are committed to ensuring every child, wherever they live, leaves school with the literacy skills they need to succeed in life. Our dedication to this cause will be unrelenting. Over the next three years, we will support and empower 1.5 million more children and young people from disadvantaged communities to read for pleasure and develop greater confidence in their reading skills. By expanding and deepening our work in schools, communities and with partners, we will strive to #GrowAGenerationOfReaders. You can help us start the new year by turning the page on the reading for pleasure crisis before more children’s futures are put at risk. Together we can create a fairer, stronger and more prosperous society through literacy: https://lnkd.in/eVfjM_FV

Thank you Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, Sonny, Ben and Lenna for sharing this wonderful Christmas bedtime story ⚽️ Our research shows that 1 in 10 UK children don't own a single book, rising to 1 in 8 in areas of high poverty. This Christmas, you have the power to #ChangeALifeStory. Help us turn the page and donate today: https://lnkd.in/dU_CA2np

Thank you and good luck to the amazing team at Simon & Schuster UK who are taking on the Arctic Challenge in January to raise money to support our work at the National Literacy Trust! 🌟

Following our recent MP drop-in event, we’re thrilled to see that MPs are stepping up to champion the importance of school libraries. From raising parliamentary questions about the impact of libraries on pupil attainment, wellbeing, and tackling social disadvantage, to contacting schools in their constituencies to understand their library provision, it's clear that this issue is gaining traction. Libraries transform lives. They give children access to books, nurture a love of reading, and help close the gap for pupils in areas of disadvantage. Yet, not every primary school has a library or the resources to create one. #LibrariesForPrimaries calls for sustainable investment in primary school libraries across the UK so that every child can reach their full potential. 👉 Join us in advocating for primary school libraries: https://lnkd.in/eZsQj7k6

Writer and broadcaster Jeffrey Boakye will be joining our Primary Conference 2025. Oracy is a key driver of the government’s education pledge. At ‘Raising voices, raising literacy’, we will explore how we can empower every child – irrespective of their background – to find, develop and express their voice. With his expertise in issues surrounding race and education, Jeffrey Boakye will explore how teachers can empower identity in the primary classroom - and why conversations about social justice in this space are necessary to achieve this. Jeffrey will join speakers from the world of poetry and academia to explore practical and creative ways to engage a generation of confident communicators. Find out more and secure your place now! https://lnkd.in/eYiqji-r

We’ve delved into the latest OECD PIAAC survey results, revealing how England compares globally on adult literacy skills. While England has maintained its average literacy score, worrying trends remain, especially for adults over 35 and those who did not complete secondary education. These gaps have profound implications for inequality, wellbeing, and economic growth. That’s why our work is more important than ever. Through programmes in schools, communities, and the criminal justice system, we’re tackling low literacy to create a fairer, more prosperous society. Read our full analysis to see how we’re making a difference. ⬇️

Our annual Ruth Rendell Award gives us a chance to honour authors who go above and beyond their written work to highlight the importance of literacy and support the development of vital literacy skills. Nominations for the 2025 Ruth Rendell Award with The Authors' Licensing & Collecting Society are now open. We’re calling on publishers, booksellers, journalists, schools, libraries and individuals to submit an author for consideration who has gone above and beyond to promote literacy development for either adults or children in the UK over the past year. The award is a great chance to give back to the authors who give so much to tirelessly champion literacy and the power of words. The shortlist will be invited to a special awards ceremony hosted by ALCS in February to honour their achievements, where the winner will be announced. Nominations can be made by anyone, and full criteria and details of previous winners can be found on our website. Find out more information and submit your nomination before 10 January: https://lnkd.in/eR9VysHg

We welcome the government’s focus on early years, both through yesterday’s announcement of the largest ever increase to the Early Years Pupil Premium and last week’s new ‘plan for change’ target to raise the proportion of children in England who are ready for school by the age of five to 75% by 2028.   We know that when children aren’t given the best start in life, it can have lifelong consequences as a child’s earliest years are crucial to their development, life chances and future opportunities. Yet last year, 187,000 children started primary school without the communication and language skills they need to learn and thrive, with those from disadvantaged communities disproportionately affected.   That is why we have repeatedly called for an uplift to the Early Years Pupil Premium, to fund essential speech, language and communication interventions and continuing professional development (CPD) for early years practitioners. Through our Early Words Matter campaign, we are committed to ensuring all children have the firm foundations they need to succeed. It is encouraging to see the government shares this priority and is putting early years support at the heart of their ‘plan for change’. We stand ready to work with the government to deliver on this joint mission, alongside public sector bodies, local community groups and business to change young children’s life stories. Find out more about Early Words Matter: https://lnkd.in/eg2sU6Pp

Access to books can transform a child’s life through opening doors to learning and creating brighter futures. But thousands of primary schools need urgent investment to improve their library provision. Moreland Primary School were the 1000th to receive a #LibrariesForPrimaries transformation and their incredible pupil librarians came with us to Parliament last week. It's time to #GrowAGenerationOfReaders. Support the campaign in partnership with Penguin Random House UK: https://lnkd.in/eZsQj7k6

Yesterday the OECD published the results of its once in a decade research into adult literacy and numeracy, PIAAC (Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies).  18% of adults in England were found to have low levels of literacy (level 1 or below in the study). This means that since the last study in 2012 the group with the lowest literacy skills has actually grown - the previous study found that 16.4% of adults in England fell into this category. This was despite an increase in literacy skills amongst young adults, linked to the increase in the statutory participation age in education from 16 to 18.  The study also demonstrates the importance of literacy to economic outcomes and employment and also to volunteering and trust - the foundation of stable and functioning communities. The headline is stark: adult literacy levels in England have fallen in the past decade. But where are the headlines? Coverage of the PIAAC results globally is strong - most nations see them as indicators of future economic and cultural prospects as well as insight into the education system. But in England they are scarcely noticed. Scotland and Wales have not even taken part in the study. Faced with falling levels of adult literacy, the national focus on basic skills needs to be renewed. The creation of Skills England is an important development but its focus on literacy and numeracy (as opposed to vocational and technical skills) is yet to be established. Make no mistake, literacy and numeracy are issues of social and economic inequality, which need to be addressed with lifelong support. A strong commitment to both must run through the Government’s Opportunity Mission. A cross sectoral commitment to basic skills is required as a matter of social justice and as the platform for economic growth.  https://lnkd.in/dUXFbnZU