Editorial 266
Another week, another reading for pleasure report, this time produced by HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Their annual review of Children’s Reading for Pleasure, 2024 contains more gloomy reading for those who create, produce or care about children’s books: only 23% of 0-17s read for pleasure ‘daily or nearly every day’ (defined as on 4 or more days per week). This marks a considerable decline over the last decade, down from 38% in 2012. Concurrently, the report finds that those who rarely or never read has risen from 13% to 22%.
Screens are competing more than every for children’s attention. 12 years of trend data shows there is a negative correlation with increased screen time and children’s reading for pleasure.
The report reveals that on a typical school day, a third of 8-10s spend 2+ hours a day using their smartphone/tablet, while at weekends and on holidays, 38% of boys and 25% of girls spend 5+ hours daily. Even 0-4s are increasingly using screens and are spending 20-25 minutes more per day on smartphones and tablets than in 2019.
No wonder that a large proportion of parents (62%) worry about the amount of time their children (0-13) spend on a screen. If screen time and scrolling encourages anxiety, as many believe, then a bright spot in this latest report is the benefits to mental wellbeing that come with being a reader.
According to the report, 29% of 14–25-year-olds strongly think of themselves as a reader, with ‘young people increasingly building an identity around books and finding a bookish community online’. A shared appreciation of reading with friends makes young people feel more comfortable identifying as a reader, and means they continue to prioritise reading during busy or stressful times. The report also highlighted how having a positive self-identity linked to reading is closely tied to better mental health. 40% of young people who answered ‘very true’ to the statement ‘I think of myself as a reader’ described themselves as ‘very happy’. In contrast, among those who do not think of themselves as a reader, 21% described themselves as ‘very happy’.
Take part in the New National Literacy Trust Poetry Survey
Over the past few years, the ways that children and young people can engage with poetry have changed and the National Literacy Trust would like to understand better what poetry means to those who engage with poetry and what could be done to engage those who aren’t already reading or writing poetry.
They aim to conduct the biggest survey to date about children and young people’s engagement with poetry.
The survey will explore children and young people’s motivations to read, write and perform poetry, as well as their engagement with poetry in different formats, including print, performance and social media.
It will explore how children and young people might use poetry to support their mental well-being or the issues and causes that they care about.
The information gathered will help shape the landscape of poetry provision in the UK.
Find out more and sign up today.
Enterprise of the Year Award Shortlist
The School Library Association have announced the 2024 shortlist for the SLA Enterprise of the Year Award, sponsored by Reading Cloud.
The Enterprise of the Year Award celebrates one-off or progressive projects which contribute towards reading and literacy in schools.
The 2024 Shortlist is:
The Cherwell School, Oxford
Inspired by Finnish libraries’ move away from plastic book protection, and her own pupils’ passion for environmentalism, librarian Caterina Balistreri set out to eliminate plastic book covers from The Cherwell School Library.
The plastic book jackets were replaced with fabric sleeves, hand made by a group of staff, students and parents using recycled and remnant fabrics donated by local businesses.
The change is not only benefitting the environment but is helping to raise the profile of reading across the whole school.
Swiss Gardens Primary School, West Sussex
The underused and outdated school library at Swiss Gardens Primary School was a concern for Headteacher, Lawrence Coughlin. After approaching the PTA for help to fund a new library, word spread throughout the school community about the project. Parents and staff with skills in interior design, carpentry, librarianship and project management all came forward to help make the vision a reality.
Whilst the physical library was taking shape, work behind the scenes ensured it would become an integral and impactful part of the school. A librarian was employed to be an expert guide in reading for pupils and worked closely together with the English Subject leader to develop the library to complement the curriculum. The new library was stocked with an up-to-date collection of books in partnership with a local bookshop.
Upton Priory School, Cheshire
When Claire Sleath joined Upton Priory School as Deputy Headteacher in 2022, there was no school library, and classroom bookshelves were tired and unloved. She set herself the challenge of opening a new school library within one academic year, which was delivered not only on time, but within a modest budget.
A team of staff, pupils, parents and members of the community, successfully raised an equivalent of over twenty thousand pounds worth of resources through competitions, grants and fundraising to bring the school library to life.
The finished library is a warm and welcoming space for pupils to browse, read and discuss, overseen by a bespoke mural featuring favourite book characters. Every care has been taken to curate a new stock of books containing characters and authors from diverse backgrounds that reflect the school community.
Congratulations to them all!
