School celebrates new library amid reading 'crisis'

A £10,000 library has opened at a school amid warnings of a "national crisis" in reading levels from the National Literacy Trust.

The charity is working to open libraries in every primary school in the country after it found one-in-seven schools don't have one, and in deprived areas it's one-in-four.

Mason Moor Primary School in Southampton has benefitted from investment by the trust to create a new library space.

Headteacher Faye Bauck said it's at the "heart of a school", so it's walked through and used every day, every lunchtime and after school by children and parents.

"We live and breathe books," she added.

Charlie is one of the pupils who said the old space was "squished" and there was no room to read but added that the new library was "organised and spacious".

The school is now considering signing up to another scheme, Schoolreaders, where volunteers come in and hear children read a book of their choice.

One of the areas the scheme is most successful is on the Isle of Wight, where 60 volunteers are signed up, visiting nearly two thirds of primary schools.

Adults spend time listening to children on a one-to-one basis, working on pronunciation and comprehension of the words.

Dawn Haig-Thomas, the co-ordinator of the island team, said too many children were leaving Island primary schools not at the recommended reading level: "It will impact every area of their life if they can't read timetables or government forms or job applications.

"But the good news is [that]10 minutes twice a week, with an adult helping them, can really turn things around.

"We've seen children who couldn't read at all enjoying a whole book six months later."

In their latest survey, the National Literacy Trust found one-in-three children read as a leisure activity, the lowest level for 20 years.

Andrew Ettinger, Director of Education at the National Literacy Trust, said it was key to inspire children to read as a leisure activity.

He added that "it's beneficial for the children's confidence, well-being and empathy" as well as giving "literacy skills to thrive in later life".

The trust said the cost of living crisis is one reason, with many families unable to afford books and parents working multiple jobs meaning less time to hear their children read.

The charity is aiming to have opened 1,500 libraries in schools this year.

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