CLPE research shows six in 10 primary school classrooms have no access to new books

Six in 10 primary school classrooms have no access to new books, according to research from the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) published ahead of World Book Day’s 25th birthday. 

The CLPE Reading for Pleasure 2022 report highlights a number of urgent challenges schools are facing in helping children discover a love for reading, post-pandemic. The research reveals that a quarter of schools have fewer books now than before the pandemic, while more than 60% of classrooms have no access to a budget for new books. 

CLPE says it is falling to teachers to plug the gap themselves, with 38% of teachers in England providing new books for pupils out of their own pockets, while 17% rely on donations. Some 8% say they never get new books in their classrooms. 

Nearly half the teachers questioned (48%) said they were unable to change the books in their classroom during the school year, severely limiting the opportunity for children to discover new books and explore their tastes and interests. 

Louise Johns-Shepherd, c.e.o. of CLPE, said: “To encourage reading for pleasure, classrooms need a wide range of books that encourage engagement whoever you are and whatever your starting point. A stagnant and never-changing book stock is not going to support children to develop this life-changing habit. This is even more important for children who may have less access to books at home–and these children are likely to be those who found it difficult to get hold of books during the lockdowns. Our report shows that teachers know and understand this, resorting to resourcing their classrooms themselves to ensure their children have choice in their reading material.” 

Cassie Chadderton, c.e.o. of World Book Day, added: “World Book Day has been changing children’s lives by encouraging a love of books and reading for 25 years. Our mission to ensure that every child or young person has a book of their own is more important than ever after the global pandemic. We know that reading for pleasure has an enormous impact on a child’s future–whether that’s their educational success, wellbeing or mental health–so access to books in the classroom plays a vital role in creating this. If children can’t find books they want to read, the impact on their own lives–and for society at large–cannot be underestimated. The CLPE Reading for Pleasure report clearly shows that this lack of access to books needs addressing urgently.”