Research
Book Ownership in 2021
The impact of book gifting on children and young people’s reading engagement
Literacy and access
Literacy levels in the UK are closely related to socioeconomic circumstances, which in turn can have an impact on access to crucial materials needed to build literacy skills. This might include access to books at home, library provision, or even access to the technology needed to learn at home during school closures.
Key statistics
- In 2021, almost 6% of children and young people said they didn’t have a book of their own at home – this equates to 413,068 children and young people in the UK. Find out more.
- 40% of primary schools reported having no dedicated school library budget. Find out more.
- In secondary schools, under half (48.4%) of pupils have access to an iPad or laptops and just two in five (39.3%) have access to a desktop computer. Find out more.
COVID-19 and access
Remote teaching highlighted inequalities in access when it came to resources, with many families lacking the provision they needed in terms of devices, data and space. Find out more.
Latest research into access
Research View detailsThe Future of Primary School Libraries
Evidence from across the sector and submissions from teachers to give an idea of the current situation in primary school libraries; the benefits they bring to pupils and the...Research View detailsExploring the impact of World Book Day on the reading lives of children in the UK 2019-2021
This report, commissioned by World Book Day, captures children’s perceptions of how the event supports their reading opportunities and influences their developing reading identities.
What else we know about access
- Pupils eligible for free school meals are more likely than their peers who are not eligible for free school meals to use their school library daily (66.5% vs. 60.3%). Find out more.
- Audiobooks and podcasts can offer access to stories for those who struggle with print texts. Find out more.
- Fewer children and young people who receive free school meals (FSM) have said that they had a writer visit compared with their peers who don’t receive FSM (23.7% vs. 27.6%). Find out more.
Our work around access
Young Readers Programme
Reading for enjoyment is key to improving literacy skills. The Young Readers Programme runs fun events where children can choose books to take home and keep.
Love our Libraries
Love our Libraries provides online training, resources and research for those working in school libraries.
Resource
School for Writers
Aimed at writers who want to deliver workshops for children and young people, these activities and examples of best practice accompany our School for Writers training course.