A new £10,000 library has been inaugurated at Mason Moor Primary School in Southampton, offering a beacon of hope amid the "national crisis" in reading levels identified by the National Literacy Trust. This development comes as the trust highlights the cost of living crisis as a significant factor, with many families unable to afford books and parents working multiple jobs, thus having less time to engage in their children's reading activities.
The National Literacy Trust, spearheaded by Director of Education Andrew Ettinger, emphasizes the importance of inspiring children to read for pleasure. Ettinger notes that reading is vital for "confidence, well-being and empathy," and essential for acquiring "literacy skills to thrive in later life." The trust's recent survey reveals a troubling statistic that only one-in-three children read as a leisure activity, marking the lowest level in two decades.
Headteacher Faye Bauck underscores the central role the new library plays within the school, stating it is at "the heart of a school," with continuous use by both children and parents throughout the day. Similarly, Dawn Haig-Thomas, co-ordinator of the island team, expresses concern over the number of children leaving Island primary schools without achieving the recommended reading level. This deficiency, she warns, could hinder their ability to navigate everyday tasks such as reading timetables or filling out government forms and job applications.
In response to this crisis, the charity aims to establish 1,500 new libraries in schools nationwide this year. Currently, one of their most successful initiatives is on the Isle of Wight, where 60 volunteers actively support nearly two-thirds of primary schools. These volunteers dedicate time to one-on-one sessions with children, focusing on pronunciation and comprehension skills.
Mason Moor Primary School is also considering joining the Schoolreaders program, which involves volunteers listening to children read books of their choice. This initiative aligns with the trust's broader goal of ensuring that every primary school has a library. Their findings indicate that one-in-seven schools currently lack this essential resource, with numbers rising to one-in-four in deprived areas.
Pupil Charlie reflects on the transformation from the old "squished" library space to the new "organised and spacious" environment. This change has already shown promising results, with reports of children who previously struggled to read now enjoying entire books within six months.
