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As Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Literacy, and Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Libraries, Information and Knowledge, I am delighted to welcome this important report.

I know from my personal experience that a primary school library can be the heartbeat of a school, so I am deeply saddened to hear that one in eight primary schools in England does not have a library, which jumps to one in four in schools with a higher proportion of pupils on free school meals (Great School Libraries Campaign, 2019). As evidenced in this report, primary school libraries bring numerous benefits to pupils; increasing their reading for pleasure and helping their mental wellbeing. However, as primary school libraries are not a statutory requirement for schools, funding is not ring-fenced which means that libraries are competing with other priorities in the school for funding. This means that primary school libraries face significant funding challenges, often relying on PTA donations, using old books and in some cases having no library at all.

We must champion the benefits of primary school libraries, particularly the positive impact they have on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. With one in 11 children from disadvantaged backgrounds not having a book of their own at home (National Literacy Trust 2017), a school library is in some cases the only way they can access books. I commit to using my platform as a Member of Parliament, and my involvement in the APPGs on Literacy and Libraries respectively to draw attention to the benefits of primary school libraries, and call for wider support for these valuable spaces.

I am pleased to see that the private sector has responded to this challenge, and welcome the news of the Primary School Alliance that is being launched alongside this report. It’s wonderful to hear the sustainable ways that businesses and charities are supporting access to books in schools. I look forward to watching more businesses join the alliance, which will help support even more children across the country.

Christian Wakeford MP

Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Literacy, Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Libraries, Information and Knowledge