Appeal for new books to tackle low literacy levels

Users of a city library threatened with closure and a primary school have begun a campaign to tackle low literacy rates.

Friends of Woodston Library in Peterborough has asked residents to donate new books, saying its shelves "desperately" need restocking in time for the summer holidays.

Sam Brunt, the head teacher at St Augustine's Junior School, which is opposite the library, said he hoped the campaign would be a "major success".

In 2024, two-thirds (67%) of pupils in Peterborough attained the national average for reading by the time they left primary school, compared with 74% nationally.

This dropped to just 56% among Year Six pupils who received free school meals, according to a Peterborough City Council report from March.

Mr Brunt said the school was were working hard to help children "discover a love of reading".

He said they have an after-school club at the library and a book bus in the school where pupils can go during lunchtime, as well as a 15-minute story time each day he said was "sacred".

But Mr Brunt said the "grim reality" of increasing living costs was having an impact on children's reading abilities.

"A lot of our families and families across Peterborough … have to decide between 'do we put food on the table or do we buy lovely new books'.

"As bleak as that sounds, they are the choices a lot of families have to make."

Woodston Library has encouraged school pupils to sign up for its Summer Reading Challenge, a national initiative where children aged between four and 11 read six books during the six-week summer holiday.

Many local libraries are giving children who take part a collector's card for finishing their first library book, a sticker for each book read, and a bookmark after their sixth book.

Elaine Wilkinson, a member of the Friends of Woodston Library campaign group, said it was "no secret" that literacy levels among Peterborough pupils were lower than average.

"We are determined to help turn that around," she said.

"We are now asking local businesses and organisations across the city to donate books or book tokens."

She said the books would be gifted to Woodston Library but made available through the city's library network.

Books can be dropped off at the library on Tuesdays 09:00-12:00 BST, Thursdays 13:30-17:00 and 18:00-19:00, Fridays between 18:00-19:00 and Saturdays 14:00-17:30.

Woodston Library, which was gifted to the community by the philanthropist HB Hartley in 1951, is one of several city libraries at risk of closure.

Four libraries are on a list of assets drawn up by Peterborough City Council that could be sold or repurposed, including in Woodston, Stanground, Eye and Thorney.

The authority has also proposed reducing the number of static libraries in the city from 10 to three as a cost-cutting measure.

Katy Cole, a cabinet member for children's services at Peterborough City Council, said it was "fully committed" to supporting schools where literacy levels were low.

"Our highly successful Family Hubs initiative is helping many young children to develop early reading skills, plus our work with schools and nurseries to support children with phonics has resulted in positive phonics scores in recent years," she said.

"We have also developed an effective partnership with the National Literacy Trust which has involved targeted work in communities with higher levels of deprivation."

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