Up to 40% of the adult population in the UK’s most deprived wards lack the literacy skills expected of an 11-year-old. This undermines our economic competitiveness and creates obstacles to fairness across society. We can’t afford to allow this to continue. We must act now.
19 members and supporters of the National Literacy Forum have developed the Vision for Literacy, which recommends four areas, or Pathways to Literacy, where sustained policy consensus is required to ensure that all children born this year have the literacy skills they need to succeed by the time they finish secondary school.
The Vision for Literacy aligns with the Read on. Get on. campaign and Fair Education Alliance and makes four key recommendations to address literacy :
1: Early Years
Government should create a cross-departmental Early Years Minister to drive forward an integrated education, health, welfare and business approach to early years policy.
2: Schools
Government should invest in new support for teachers, school leaders and governors. This should include the creation of a Royal College of Teachers.
3: Reading for enjoyment
Government should instruct Ofsted to examine a reading for pleasure strategy in every school inspection.
4: The role of business in education
Government should encourage the creation of Local Brokers to build links between schools and local business community, to support young people’s literacy and employability skills.
Visit the National Literacy Forum’s website to find out more.