NLT and PRH form alliance to address lack of primary school library investment

The National Literacy Trust (NLT) is partnering with Penguin Random House (PRH) to form a national alliance addressing "the chronic lack" of investment in primary school libraries in the UK.

The Primary School Library Alliance has pledged to transform and equip 1,000 primary school libraries by 2025, supporting half a million pupils to develop their reading and writing skills, as well as their wellbeing and overall academic achievement. Arts Council England (ACE) and new digital retail bank Chase are among the first to fund the work of the alliance, with others expected to announce their commitment soon. 

It comes as a new report published today shows 40% of primary schools say they have no dedicated school library budget, from data provided to the NLT by the School Library Association and Softlink. The report also shows one in four schools in England’s most disadvantaged communities do not have a library or designated reading space, compared to a national average of one in eight schools. Many teachers also reported often having to buy reading materials with their own money. 

ACE has awarded more than £900,000 through its National Lottery Project Grant programme to expand World of Stories, a library programme run by PRH and the NLT to support the work of the alliance. With additional investment of more than £1m from PRH UK in both cash and in-kind support, World of Stories will transform and support 500 primary schools. Over the last three years the programme has already transformed 225 primary schools and offers bespoke training, new books and resources to participating schools.

Jonathan Douglas, chief executive of the NLT, said it was an "honour" to launch the alliance with PRH. He added: "We’re also delighted and grateful to have the financial support of Arts Council England and other corporates for funding the work of the alliance. The alliance is calling for private, public and third sector organisations to unite with the publishing community and help to transform primary schools across the UK.

“At the National Literacy Trust, we know that one in 11 children on free school meals don’t own a single book of their own. With the latest research showing 40% of primary schools don’t have the budget to support and sustain a library, it paints a very concerning picture of how these children and young people are able to access new books, and unlock a lifetime of potential through reading. Together, we are committed to changing this.”

Siena Parker, social impact director at PRH, added: "Books offer inspiration, escape, and the opportunity to step into someone else’s shoes. Research has shown that children who read for pleasure have better life chances in the future, get better grades, and report higher levels of wellbeing.

“Yet so many children are missing out on the joy of reading because our schools simply don’t have the resources they need. To help address this critical issue, we are delighted to increase our own investment in partnership with Arts Council England to expand our tried-and-tested World of Stories programme to 500 more schools across the UK, from Blackpool to the Black Country.”