COVER FEATURE
Reading allowed
A school library does more than improve literacy.
It encourages creativity, supports mental health and helps build critical thinking skills. If your school doesn’t have a library, the benefi ts make it an ideal project, says Carol Rogerson
Reading for pleasure is declining. A survey by the National Literacy Trust in 2024 found that only one in three children (35%) enjoy reading in their free time. While screens play a role in this trend, lack of access to high quality reading matter is also a signifi cant factor. Even children with plenty of books at home benefi t from exposure to a wide selection of reading options. It helps them discover what they like to read and lets them explore different genres and topics on their own. Yet, in the UK, one in seven
primary schools does not have a library, rising to one in four in disadvantaged areas. The
Department for Education does not currently collect any data on school libraries and Ofsted does not evaluate or inspect them. Mary-Rose Grieve, co-chair of Great School Libraries (
greatschoollibraries.org. uk), says this lack of information makes it impossible to act on national trends to raise standards in an evidence-based way. Time spent reading is one of
the key indicators of a child’s future outcomes. In addition to developing cognitive skills, such as language, critical thinking and comprehension, reading offers social and emotional benefi ts. It can help children cope with grief, gain a
better understanding of themselves and spark conversations about diffi cult topics. Last year, the Chartered Institute
of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the Association of Senior Children’s and Education Librarians, the School Library Association and the CILIP Schools Library Group (CILIPSLG) sent a joint letter to the new schools minister, Catherine McKinnell MP. In the letter, they urged the government to make school libraries statutory and to provide qualifi ed professionals to staff them. They also called on the Department for Education to start collecting data on school libraries.
School Fundraising SPRING 2025 15
IMAGES: JORM SANGSORN/
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM; CAROLYN SPARKS
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