National Literacy Trust’s Post

This week, as part of our communities work we launched a 10-year campaign in Salford which aims to raise literacy skills by boosting reading for enjoyment levels in the city. Levels in the region have hit a record low, with just 2 in 5 children in the North West telling us that they enjoy reading in their spare time.   At the National Literacy Trust, we believe in the transformative power of literacy to change life stories, and we pride ourselves on working in communities where people need us most – where as many as one in three people have low levels of literacy. That’s why we work directly in local areas across the UK, bringing together schools, families, and community organisations to support literacy development, raise reading enjoyment levels and reach families who need support.   In partnership with Salford City Council, we are aiming to increase the number of children reading for pleasure in Salford, with a focus on showing children the power of non-fiction reading to help learn in a fun and engaging way, discovering topics that interest them. At our launch event at Salford City College Group, we invited the fantastic Emily Coxhead, author, illustrator, and founder of The Happy Newspaper, to help children find fun and interesting facts based on their interests using non-fiction books. Giving children the opportunity to make a personal choice and explore what interests them can be a great way to engage disinterested readers. Children also took part in a workshop with Curtis Jobling, illustrator, author and animator, drawing some of his characters and learning all about creative jobs and opportunities in the North West.   As well as our special pupil guests, we invited representatives from local community organisations to hear from our team and members of Salford City Council about the campaign, as well as enjoying a performance from the St Sebastian’s Primary School Choir.   The launch marks the start of our wider work across the city including a project to collate Salford’s Happy Facts – an initiative to celebrate local knowledge and to help children to build a sense of pride and connection to their wider community.   Throughout our 10-year campaign, we will partner with local schools, businesses and community organisations to reach families who are struggling to access support, setting up a network of local volunteers and delivering a variety of events in and outside of schools. By forging strong partnerships across the city and bringing together inspiring role models, we will work to ensure that every child grows up with the literacy skills they need to get the most out of life.   Find out more about our communities work, including our new campaign in Salford, and how businesses and volunteers can get involved: https://lnkd.in/eqPxxQJE

We won't stop until every primary school has a dedicated library or reading space! 🙌 #LibrariesForPrimaries

Wrapping up Libraries Week with a highlights reel from our Inclusive Libraries conference. We know that when children see themselves in books, they are more likely to read for pleasure and this, in turn, improves academic performance and supports good wellbeing. Diverse libraries are vital. They provide young people with a safe space to discover their identities, build empathy, and explore cultures beyond their own. In September, we teamed up with the The British Library and Lit in Colour (Penguin Random House) to explore race, culture, and identity in children's and young people's libraries. Literacy is for everyone, and librarians should be empowered to create spaces where diverse voices are heard and celebrated. Keynote speeches from the Inclusive Libraries conference can be viewed for free on our website: https://lnkd.in/enQSkZkX Supported by Arts Council England.

It's time to #Take10toRead! Life is busy and it isn't always easy to find time for yourself. For World Mental Health Day, partners and colleagues across the country are escaping into the world of reading to take care of their wellbeing. So don't forget to pick up a good book on your lunch break. Supported by Arts Council England.

The Oracy Education Commission’s Final Report, 'We Need to Talk', makes a persuasive case for greater attention to be given to oracy education across the English education system: https://lnkd.in/enAFMeq7   At the National Literacy Trust, we define literacy as the ability to read, write, speak and listen in a way that enables us to communicate effectively and make sense of the world. We believe that every child, regardless of their background, deserves the opportunity to find, develop and express their authentic voice. Oracy — the ability to articulate thoughts, listen actively, and engage in meaningful dialogue — is fundamental to achieving this. Our recent policy paper, 'Creating confident communicators', makes a series of proposals that align with and complement the Oracy Education Commission’s recommendations. We particularly welcome the report’s emphasis on the importance of speech, language, and communication development in the early years, recognition of the value of linguistic diversity and proposal to integrate speaking, listening and communication into every subject across the curriculum.   Our work at the National Literacy Trust is already helping to develop children, young people and families' oracy skills: ✅ We are committed to supporting families from birth through campaigns like Early Words Matter and programmes like Early Words Together. ✅ We work to enrich the school curriculum through creative and inspiring poetry-led workshops such as the West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate Programme, and equip teachers with expert training to develop oracy in a primary setting. ✅ Words for Work is another vital part of our portfolio, ensuring older students in KS3, KS4 and post-16 settings are empowered and equipped with the literacy skills they need to thrive, find employment beyond education and set themselves up for a future bursting with opportunity. ✅ Oracy workshops, programmes and experiences targeted at those in the prison community or young people facing exclusion are also a key part of our current work.   We look forward to working with our partners to drive the oracy agenda forward. Over the next few weeks, we are working with partners from the public, private and voluntary sectors to inform the government’s curriculum and assessment review. If you would like to take part in these discussions please get in touch by emailing policy@literacytrust.org.uk or sending us a direct message. Read our 'Creating confident communicators' policy report: https://lnkd.in/e6FkfJYe

Transforming the future, one library at a time. To mark #LibrariesWeek, let's take a look at one of our most recent transformations. ⤵ We were recently at Fossdene Primary School, where we unveiled a brand-new library and book vending machine. Thanks to the Chase school libraries programme, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust and supported by Penguin Random House UK, over 7,600 pupils across 18 primary schools in Greenwich are starting a new school year with access to inspiring books and dedicated reading spaces.     To celebrate, authors Dan Freedman and Kate Pankhurst joined Fossdene pupils for the day, encouraging a love of reading with workshops and inspiring words. As Dan put it, “Reading has the potential to unlock the world for all of us”.     It's no surprise that libraries are transformative spaces. Research from Chase shows that two thirds of London adults believe that reading significantly contributed to their future career success. Meanwhile, reading for pleasure is proven to enhance academic success, boost empathy and improve wellbeing – things that all children should be able to benefit from.   The book vending machine adds an extra spark by allowing pupils to redeem tokens for positive behaviour or acts of kindness, rewarding them with new books to take home. We believe that every child, wherever they grow up, should leave school with literacy skills for life. Partners like Chase bring us closer to this goal – the Chase school libraries programme has now benefited 138,000 pupils by improving or entirely transforming 412 libraries.     Libraries bring a promise of brighter futures, and our #LibrariesForPrimaries campaign, for which Chase is a flagship partner, is working towards ensuring that every primary school has a dedicated library or reading space by 2028. Together with our partners, we are creating opportunities for every child to thrive. Read more about the campaign: https://lnkd.in/e_JkspzW

Poetry is transformative, especially for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. It unlocks creativity and gives young people a tool to get their voice heard. Through our projects like the West Yorkshire Poet Laureate competition, we empower more young people to find their creative voice and build confidence through performance.

At the National Literacy Trust, we believe that poetry has the power to transform young lives, and Alina’s story is a testament to this. Last year, 9-year-old Alina entered the West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate competition having never written a poem before. What started as a classroom activity during West Yorkshire Poetry Week sparked a journey of self-expression and personal growth. Alina went from being a shy reader to a confident poetry ambassador for her region. Her win didn’t just bring her recognition - it transformed her confidence. From performing for over 150 people to interviewing beloved authors like Jacqueline Wilson, Alina embraced the opportunity to share her voice and inspire others. Her teacher noted how significantly her confidence had grown, and her mother shared how Alina’s passion for writing continues to flourish. Alina’s story demonstrates the impact that initiatives like the West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureate programme can have on young people’s confidence. It also reflects our latest research findings, published yesterday, that show poetry gives young people a voice and has wide- ranging benefits from empathy skills to a better aptitude for learning. We are proud to collaborate with our partners, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, the National Poetry Centre, and Poet Laureate Simon Armitage to continue challenging perceptions of poetry and nurturing the next generation of poets. Know a teacher in West Yorkshire? Let them know that this year’s competition is open for entries until Friday 20 December: https://lnkd.in/ezxnDSfQ

Our latest research, published for National Poetry Day, reveals that engaging with poetry provides children and young people with a wealth of benefits, including improved wellbeing, confidence, creativity, and empathy. Yet, over half (51.2%) of young people are missing out on these advantages because they do not feel like poetry is for them. Read more in our longform article ⬇️