Children’s reading enjoyment drops to its lowest level in 20 years
A new report by the National Literacy Trust warns that children’s reading has reached ‘crisis point,’ as the number of children enjoying reading drops to its lowest level in almost 20 years. The report is based on an annual survey of children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18. Out of 76,131 participants, only 34.6% say they enjoy reading in their free time. Notably, the gender gap in reading enjoyment nearly tripled from a difference of 4.8% in 2023 to 12.3% in 2024, driven largely by the decline of reading enjoyment amongst boys.
Similarly, reading frequency is at a historic low, as only 1 in 5 children say they read daily. Researchers remark upon the sizable extent of the decline, dropping by 7.5% since last year, the second steepest drop on record. Whilst daily reading levels decreased across all age groups, there was a particularly sharp drop amongst children between the ages of 8 and 14, where daily reading fell by more than 10%.
For 3,861 children between the ages of 8 and 14, researchers were able to compare survey and reading-skill data. They discovered that those who enjoyed reading and those who read on a daily basis achieved higher standardised reading scores on average than their peers. In light of these findings, the National Literacy Trust calls on the government to urgently launch a reading taskforce and action plan with multi-sector partners. Moreover, ministers are urged to prioritise reading for pleasure in the curriculum and assessment review, alongside the skills that support the development of confident, motivated readers.
★ If you want to promote reading amongst your pupils, take advantage of our Literacy support days in school. Our experts will work closely with you to optimise your lesson plans, content, and strategies so that pupils can approach reading with a new sense of purpose and achievement.
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A third of MATs expect reserves to fall below 5% threshold
More than one in three multi-academy trusts (MATs) expect their revenue reserves to drop below the 5% threshold by the end of 2026-27. The Department for Education (DfE) warns that trusts that fall below this threshold may be at risk of ‘financial vulnerability and challenge.’
The new report compiles budget forecasts from more than 260 MATs across the UK for the 2024-25 to 2026-27 financial years. Analysis shows that 27% of trusts are reporting reserves below the threshold by the end of this academic year. This is expected to rise to 30% by the end of 2025-26, and 37% by the end of 2026-28. The pressure is more acute for primary-majority trusts, with over 40% expected to fall below this threshold compared to 15% of secondary-majority MATs.
Based on current forecasts, many trusts are planning to reduce teacher and teaching assistant numbers. The report emphasises that ‘fine margins make the difference,’ as just one additional pupil per teacher and 1% less spare capacity can tip the balance from deficit to surplus. Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), says ‘we must not let that become a reality.’ She says there must be a greater focus on the correlation between capacity and financial stability, which could allow trusts to identify scale and efficiencies. However, Cruddas also adds that the sector should not be ‘heavily reliant on using reserves to keep afloat when we know they offer nothing more than a sticking-plaster.’ To avoid this, the CST calls for learning from the pensions “triple lock” to be applied across education, guaranteeing a level of protection on per pupil, SEND and disadvantage formulae.
Government outlines plans for regional support and intervention
This week, the Department for Education (DfE) held a webinar with the sector, outlining how schools will be supported by Regional Improvement for Standards and Excellence (RISE) teams next year. The new Ofsted report cards will help to identify schools and the level of support they require. Well-performing schools with minimal issues and strong leadership will be given universal support, whereas those with one or several issues will receive targeted support. There will also be a third category for schools requiring intervention.
For schools that fall within the universal support category, RISE teams will signpost school leaders to hubs, training, financial support and professional development with the view to create ‘a self-improving system.’ Where schools require targeted support, RISE teams will work with leaders to develop a bespoke improvement package. This will not be delivered by RISE teams directly, but through an organisation they commission, such as a multi-academy trust (MAT), federation or local authority partnership. RISE teams will have no role in supporting schools that need intervention, other than to potentially provide short-term emergency support.
The first regional advisers are set to be appointed by next January. Universal support for schools will begin from April 2025. Meanwhile, all schools that require targeted support are expected to receive this by April 2026.
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