Early language development: a growing barrier to children’s literacy

As children head back to school this September, not everyone will be starting from the same place. For some children, the summer holidays have been filled with books, activities and experiences that keep learning going. But for others, access to those opportunities may have been more limited.

Research suggests that long school holidays can contribute to learning loss, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, making it harder to maintain progress in reading – with some actually starting the new academic year already behind. 

One of the biggest challenges facing children as they begin or return to primary school, is poor early language development. 

New research commissioned by us and conducted by Teacher Tapp, reveals growing concern among primary teachers about children’s language skills and engagement with reading at home. 

Together, these challenges are making it harder for children to develop the reading skills they need to succeed in school, particuarly in disadvantaged communities.

In this blog, we explore early language development as a barrier to children’s reading success in school and beyond.

New research reveals growing literacy challenges

We surveyed 3,394 primary school teachers across England and the findings paint a worrying picture:

Teachers are seeing more children arrive at school without the language skills they need to participate confidently in classroom activities.

Key Findings 

• 60% of teachers say poor early language skills make it harder for children to develop strong reading skills, up from 55% in 2023.
• 73% say that limited support for reading and learning at home makes it harder to help children develop strong literacy skills, up from 67% in 2023.
• 57% report a lack of engagement with reading as a barrier, up from 50% in 2023. 

Taken together, these findings suggest that teachers are increasingly concerned about children’s language development, engagement with reading and support for reading at home.

This increases the risk of children falling behind their peers. Without early support, gaps in reading and learning can become harder to close over time.

But the consequences extend beyond academic progress. Children who struggle to keep up can lose confidence, motivation and belief in their own potential. What begins as a small gap, can become much bigger if support isn’t available early enough.

Reading helps prevent small learning gaps from becoming bigger challenges. 

Why early language development matters for reading

Early language development is one of the strongest predictors of later literacy success. Reading relies on children understanding words, making connections and being able to communicate their thoughts and ideas. So, the stronger a child’s language skills, the stronger the foundations for learning to read.

As our Interim CEO, Frankie, explains: 

‘These findings paint a troubling picture of the growing literacy divide facing primary children across England, which has amplified in the past three years. 

Teachers are telling us that poor early language skills are one of the greatest obstacles to helping children learn to read, and that challenge is felt most sharply in disadvantaged communities. 

When children start school without the language skills they need, they are already at risk of falling behind. Combined with declining engagement with reading at home, this can have long-term consequences for educational attainment, confidence and life chances.’ 

Disadvantaged communities face greater challenges

The challenge is felt most acutely in disadvantaged communities. 

More than four in five teachers (83%) working in the most deprived schools, say that poor early language skills are a barrier to improving the school’s literacy standards, compared with just 39% of teachers in the most affluent schools – that’s a 44 percentage point gap. 

This highlights how children are not starting school from the same place. Children from disadvantaged communities are more likely to face barriers to books, learning opportunities and enrichment activities that support language development, particularly over the summer holidays. As a result, some children begin school with fewer opportunities to build vocabulary, communication skills and confidence.

This also reflects what we are seeing in our partner schools, which have higher levels of disadvantage. Our survey to teachers showed that 80% of children entering Reception are identified as having significant gaps in their early language skills. These gaps can make learning to read more challenging from the very start of school.

The role of families in building children’s literacy

In our research, teachers also consistently identified parental engagement with reading as one of the biggest challenges affecting children’s literacy – particularly in disadvantaged areas. 

In fact, 85% of teachers in the most deprived schools say lack of parental support is a challenge, compared with 60% in the most affluent schools. 

Encouraging reading at home builds a strong foundation for a child’s language skills, academic success and emotional growth. Even small moments, such as sharing a book before bed, talking about the day or telling stories together, can strengthen children’s language development.

However, this isn’t necessarily about parents not valuing their children’s reading or education. There are many reasons why families may find it difficult to support reading at home. These can include: 

• Speaking English as an Additional Language (EAL)
• Work commitments and long hours
• Financial pressures
• Limited confidence with reading themselves
• Lack of access to books and literacy support 

As Frankie notes: 

‘There can be a multitude of reasons why parents and carers are unable to support children’s reading at home, such as English as an additional language (EAL), work or financial constraints. This is why additional support such as ours is needed.’ 

How we help children build strong foundations for reading

Simple activities can make a difference. 

Just 10 minutes of reading a day helps children to develop positive reading habits, strengthen language skills and build confidence before literacy gaps become harder to close. 

Our Story Starter Programme helps families create positive reading experiences at home through literacy resources including finger puppets, storytelling cards and stationery. Delivered to children before they start primary school, these resources help families build children’s vocabulary, communication and comprehension skills while nurturing a love of reading.

By helping children develop strong language foundations early, we can support a smoother start to school and help them feel ready for the opportunities and challenges of the year ahead.

As the new academic year begins, it’s important to remember that September isn’t the same starting line for every child.

Our latest research highlights growing concern among teachers about children’s early language development and the impact this can have on reading, confidence and learning.

By helping children build strong language skills, encouraging reading for pleasure and supporting families with practical resources, we can help more children start school with confidence, develop a lifelong love of reading and build the foundations they need for future success.