National Year of Reading 2026 announced

The Education secretary is asking parents to read with their children every day, as part of the launch of her National Year of Reading for 2026.

Launched by the joint Department of Education and the National Literacy Trust, the National Year of Reading will start in January 2026 to inspire a reading revolution. It aims to address the statistic that just one in three children aged eight to 18 enjoyed reading in their free time in 2025.

The campaign will bring together parents, schools, libraries, businesses, and literacy experts, the campaign aims to foster a love of reading for pleasure in children and young people, ensuring all children get the best start in life.

Strong reading, and writing, proficiency in childhood cultivates a range of successes over a child’s lifetime, from improved wellbeing to higher future earnings, with new data showing that those proficient in reading and writing in primary school earn £65,000 more over their lifetime.

The government inherited a state where over a quarter left primary school not meeting the expected standard in reading, which grows to 40 per cent and 59 per cent for children from white-working class backgrounds and those with special educational needs.

The National Year of Reading will build on the actin already underway to drive high and rising standards in literacy including investing £27.7 million to support the teaching of reading and writing in primary school and targeted support for struggling readers in secondary school, as well as the ongoing curriculum and assessment review. 

The National Literacy Trust will distribute over 72,000 new books to children in areas with the highest rates of child poverty to support positive reading habits at home, with the campaign set to include school and community events, and a dedicated website supported by over 30 organisations including Premier League and Arts Council England.

Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said: “As someone whose love of reading was sparked in childhood, I know just how powerful books can be in shaping young lives.

“Reading holds the keys to so much of children’s education, so the decline in reading for pleasure among young people should sound alarm bells loud and clear.

“This can’t just be a government mission. It needs to be a national one. So, it’s time for all of us to play our part, put our phones down and pick up a book.

“When parents take the time to read with their children early on, they lay the foundations for strong literacy skills, helping kids to be school ready. By making reading a daily habit, even just ten minutes a day, we can help give kids the best start in life, as part of the Plan for Change.”