UK Education Committee backs universal summer reading challenge, library guarantee

The cross‑party Education Committee in the United Kingdom released a report on “Reading for Pleasure”, welcoming evidence from charities, publishers and former Children’s Laureate Frank Cottrell‑Boyce. It highlighted a decline in reading among children and urged a National Reading Guarantee that would automatically enrol every child in a public library at birth and secure access to school libraries throughout their education.

The report also called for the Summer Reading Challenge to be expanded into a universal programme, recommending funding for a library in every secondary school, a school‑library development fund and a legal requirement for dedicated library lessons. Additional recommendations include updating curricula to emphasise enjoyment, increasing the diversity of texts, limiting screen time, and providing more support for parents, all aimed at making reading a joyful and equitable experience for all children.