Children and young people’s reading in 2025

The National Literacy Trust (NLT) released its annual report on children and young people’s reading – and the results are deeply concerning: reading enjoyment is at its lowest point in 20 years. 

This decline affects not just how often children read, but how they feel about reading altogether. 

These findings underline the urgency of our mission to improve literacy and reignite a love for reading in the children who need it most.

A widening reading crisis

The report reveals that just one in three children and young people aged 8‑to-18 say they enjoy reading in their free time – the lowest since the NLT began collecting this data in 2005.

Some of the most worrying insights include:

• A 5% decline in reading enjoyment among primary-aged children – a key age group for developing lifelong reading habits.
• A sharp gender gap: while 39.1% of girls say they enjoy reading, only 25.7% of boys do. This 13.4‑point gap is nearly triple that of just two years ago.
• Children on free school meals (FSMs) also report lower levels of reading enjoyment and daily reading frequency, with the gap between FSM and non-FSM pupils widening again in 2025.
• Only one in five (18.7%) children now say they read something every day in their free time. That’s a 1.8 percentage point drop in just one year.

What encourages children to read?

To tackle this crisis, we must understand what draws children into books. The NLT found that:

• 38.1% are motivated by books connected to TV shows or films they enjoy
• 37.1% are inspired by content that relates to their interests or hobbies
• 30.9% are attracted by a book’s cover or title
• 26.6% value the freedom to choose what they read

This aligns closely with our approach: create positive, relevant and personalised reading experiences that reflect children’s lives, interests and identities.

Our programmes

As reading enjoyment continues to decline, especially among children in disadvantaged communities, our programmes aim to make reading joyful and accessible again. 

Our programmes directly address the challenges outlined in the report, by offering individualised support and resources that encourage a whole-school reading culture and spark a genuine interest in reading.

One-to-one Reading Programme

Our flagship reading volunteer programme pairs children with trained volunteers who offer personalised, engaging support – online or in-person. This builds confidence, strengthens reading skills, and, most importantly, helps children rediscover the joy in books.

Whole-school literacy support

Our Literacy Partner Programme, Your Story Corner, and School Network Programme provide schools in areas of high literacy need with grants, high-quality books and resources, to build a strong whole-school reading culture and embed reading for pleasure across the school community.

Book gifting and reading materials

Our Rocket Packs and The Story Corner Magazine ensure children have access to engaging and inclusive books at home, encouraging reading for enjoyment beyond the classroom. Our Story Starter Programme also supports children transitioning into Reception with book bags full of engaging resources to help spark a love of reading from day one.

Support for educators and families

We provide free resources and training for teachers to inspire reading for pleasure in schools, alongside home learning materials that support families to read together and build positive reading habits at home.

We believe that, with the right support and resources, we can help every child experience the joy, confidence and curiosity that comes with falling in love with reading.