The Commons Education Select Committee has urged the government to place school libraries on a statutory footing and to widen its existing pledge for a library in every primary school so that it covers every secondary school too. The recommendation forms part of a wider report into children’s reading, published after an inquiry prompted by concerns over declining enjoyment of reading.
What MPs found and recommended
The committee expressed particular alarm about low reading rates among boys and teenagers and the challenges faced by children from low-income families and those with reading difficulties such as dyslexia. Its report recommends several measures aimed at reversing the trend:
- Extending the government’s library pledge from primary to all secondary schools.
- Making school libraries a legal requirement.
- Creating a school library development fund to refresh stock and train staff.
- Expecting schools to provide dedicated library lessons in the timetable.
“It is striking that libraries are statutory requirements in prisons, but not schools.”
The committee also criticised current policy emphasis, saying the Department for Education’s approach has been
“overwhelmingly on reading proficiency over pleasure”and that a heavy focus on assessment, along with an overloaded curriculum, is crowding out opportunities to show children the joy of reading.
What this could mean locally in Reading
For schools in Reading, the committee’s proposals would represent a notable shift. If enacted, the measures could require secondary schools to set aside space, staffing and timetable time for a library and associated lessons. The suggestion of a dedicated fund aims to help schools refresh shelves and provide staff training, which would be particularly significant for schools currently operating with limited budgets or small, under-resourced libraries.
Headteachers have previously been told that they should decide how best to build a reading culture. The committee’s advice would move that decision from local discretion to statutory obligation — changing the way literacy initiatives are planned and financed.
| Recommendation | Intended outcome |
|---|---|
| Statutory school libraries | Guarantee access to books and dedicated spaces across all schools |
| Library development fund | Improve and maintain stock; fund training for staff |
| Dedicated library lessons | Provide regular curriculum time to promote reading for pleasure |
Practical considerations and next steps
The committee’s report also notes the perceived gap between policy rhetoric and practice: ministers have previously said headteachers should decide how to foster reading. Converting the committee’s recommendations into law or guidance would require government acceptance and funding commitments. For local authorities and schools in Reading, this would create pressure to identify suitable library space, staff capacity and budget lines — or to bid for any central fund the government might establish.
Parents and community groups who support reading initiatives could see the recommendations as an opportunity to press for more visible, better-resourced library provision in their children’s schools. Conversely, schools already struggling with space and staffing may seek clarity about transitional support and the timetable for any new duties.
The committee described the government’s curriculum and assessment review as a “missed opportunity” to put more emphasis on reading for pleasure. Its report sets out a package of changes intended to rebalance policy towards enjoyment as well as proficiency — an approach that, if adopted, would affect how reading is promoted across the school day in Reading and beyond.
Local parents, governors and school leaders will be watching for a formal government response to the report and any announcements about ringfenced funding or statutory changes. Until then, the committee’s recommendations add weight to long-standing calls for stronger, better-funded library services in schools.
