A Decade of Reading, Not Just a Year

A recent report from an education committee inquiry into reading for pleasure has reached stark conclusions about the state of reading in England. The National Year of Reading, launched last year to address a decline in children reading for pleasure, should be extended to a decade-long initiative, the inquiry recommends.

The report highlights how competing demands on children’s time and attention have made it harder for them to find time and inclination to read for pleasure. While screen use is often cited as a major factor, England lags behind international averages in this regard. However, screens are not the only challenge; the cost of living, changes in work patterns, and lack of library access all play a role in reducing opportunities for reading.

Girls are more likely than boys to be given books as presents and taken to libraries, creating a subtle but powerful expectation that reading is a feminine activity. The inquiry also notes the absence of male role models who read and the scarcity of male teachers in schools. This has significant implications for how we present reading as an activity.

If boys are discouraged from reading because they’re not exposed to male readers, it’s unlikely they’ll develop a love for reading. Early years education should focus on building enjoyment and engagement rather than teaching phonics or preparing children for school. Reading is not just a skill; it’s essential to being human.

The inquiry criticizes the recent curriculum review for failing to create more space for children to develop a genuine enjoyment of reading. The National Reading Guarantee, proposed by the inquiry, would ensure that all children have regular opportunities to enjoy reading from birth to 18. This is not just about providing access to books; it’s about recognizing reading as a fundamental right.

The report calls for an extension of the pledge to deliver libraries in every primary school to secondary schools and for public library funding lost since 2010 to be restored. The inquiry concludes that the fall in reading for pleasure is not inevitable, but rather the consequence of policy choices, fragmented systems, and unequal access.

Isobel Hunter, chief executive at Libraries Connected, urges the incoming government to make reading for pleasure part of its wider mission to spread opportunity and improve life chances. A fundamental shift in approach is needed: rather than seeing reading as a skill to be taught, we should recognize it as essential to being human. We need to create spaces where children can develop a genuine love of reading, not just because it’s good for them academically, but because it’s good for them as people.

This requires creating a culture that values reading above all else and recognizes it as a fundamental right. It means providing opportunities for children to develop a love of reading that will stay with them throughout their lives.