Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of primary school libraries on social disadvantage.

Reading for pleasure is hugely important and is associated with a range of academic, social and emotional benefits. The 2021 Progress in International Reading and Literacy Study data for England showed that the pupils who said they liked reading the most scored, on average, 34 points more than those who said they did not like reading.

As well as strong links between reading for pleasure and attainment, pupils who read regularly report heightened levels of social and emotional wellbeing. For many, reading is a form of relaxation, a place to escape everyday challenges, a source of entertainment. Reading allows readers to adopt new perspectives, develop empathy and become more socially conscious. Further, wide recreational reading expands pupils’ knowledge about the world and about language, as well as their understanding of subject-specific academic and technical vocabulary.

School libraries complement public libraries in giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school. School funding can be used to fund book corners, school libraries and librarians.

In July 2023, the department published an updated version of the reading framework. It provides guidance for schools on improving reading teaching provision and how to create a school reading culture, where every child is not only able to read proficiently, but also develops a genuine love of reading. It also includes guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or books stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers. It suggests ways of organising and promoting books, so that pupils are well supported to choose them by and for themselves.

The department acknowledges the work of the National Literacy Trust and other organisations in this area. The National Literacy Trust’s 2024 Annual Literacy Survey found that children’s reading enjoyment levels have declined, across all social grades. We will continue to engage with the sector on this important issue.