From scorched earth to new landscapes... Jonathan Douglas The National Literacy Trust

1. From scorched earth to new landscapes...Jonathan DouglasThe National Literacy Trust

2. The National Literacy Trust

4. Poverty data - IFS • Between 96/97 and 09/10 median income rose on average 1.9% p.a. • Between 10/11 and 19/20 average income expected to fall by 7% • By 2020 24% of children will live in relative poverty (increase of 800,000 in 2011) • Living costs in rural areas 10%-20% higher than in urban areas (Rowntree Research)

5. The social class gap – English level 4 scores at 11

6. If you have poor literacy you are • More likely to live in a non-working household • 22% of men and 30% of women with literacy below entry level 2 live in nonworking households. • Less likely to have children • Individuals with low levels of literacy are more likely to lead solitary lives without any children. • More likely to live in overcrowded housing • Individuals with low literacy levels are more likely to live in overcrowded housing with reduced access to technology. • More likely to experience divorce • A literate family is less likely to experience divorce, as divorce rates amongst those with high literacy are low, and significantly lower than those with poor literacy skills.

7. Literacy & Social Capital

8. Types of reading 2005 and 2009

10. Literacy a way out of poverty • Reduction in reliance on state benefits • An increase in literacy cuts the likelihood of reliance on benefits from 19% to 6% • Less likely to own your own home • A modest rise in literacy level sees the likelihood of a man owning their own house rise from 40% to 78%.

11. Reading – KS2 at level 4

12. Literacy and Social Mobility Reading for Change – OECD 2005

13. Enjoying Reading at Year 6 Source: Sainsbury & Schagen 2004

14. Literacy and breaking the cycle • Children from the poorest backgrounds are on average a year behind middle class children when they start school • However behaviour in the early years (the home learning environment) can close the gap. Libraries are a crucial ingredient. (EPPE)

15. Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children • Differences in children’s language at 2 years are explained better by their early communication environment than their social background • Children’s school readiness is predicted by early language, early communication environment as well as children’s social background

16. Early communications environment • Books owned at 6 months • Home and parenting score • Amount of TV on at home in first 18 months • Frequency of trips to the library www.literacytrust.org.uk

17. Frequency of trips to the library at 18 months • Increased access to books • Story and rhyme times • Shared times in a focused environment • Talking time on the way to and the way from the library • “Stimulation of the outdoors” www.literacytrust.org.uk

18. Literacy is the best ladder out of poverty Libraries are a solution for child poverty

19. New policy context in England • Focus on literacy in schools • Systematic synthetic phonics the methodology • Legislation for universal reading test at 6 announced in the 2010 Queen’s Speech • Rewrite of the National Curriculum

20. www.literacytrust.org.uk

21. Economic Policy • Cuts and the economic consequence • Particular concerns for impact on communities in Scotland, Wales, Midlands and North, especially coastal • Focus on regional/community solutions

22. Local and community services Increased local freedoms • Academies and free schools • Local priorities and local accountability Decreased local resources • Social return on investment • Payment by results www.literacytrust.org.uk

23. So where do libraries fit into approaches to tackle child poverty through literacy? www.literacytrust.org.uk

24. Influencing aspirations and expectations: home and family • The home has three times the impact of high quality early education • Parental interest in reading is a more powerful force than social class, family size and level of parental education • Even at 16 parental interest in a child’s reading is the single greatest predictor of achievement

25. Priorities • Growing demand for literacy • Promote literacy that is relevant • Accept responsibility and reward • Target those who need support most • Remember why we read www.literacytrust.org.uk

26. What targeting means – school libraries • Personalisation • Move to approaches which understand the different needs of different pupil • Resources and data needed to support this • Understanding ethnicities and cultures • 43.1% of Asian Pupils who did not use the library did so because they felt it had a poor book stock as opposed to 24.4% of Black and 33.6% of white pupils • Gender • Boys significantly less likely to own their own books • Differentiated gender use of technology • Free school meals • FSM children more likely to be turned onto reading by being told why it will be useful to them

27. Remembering why we read www.literacytrust.org.uk

28. www.literacytrust.org.uk

29. www.literacytrust.org.uk

30. If it wasn’t for the library I wouldn’t be reading at all www.literacytrust.org.uk

31. Thank you! Follow jdliteracytrust on Twitter Befriend National Literacy Trust on Facebook Jonathan.douglas@literacytrust.org.uk www.literacytrust.org.uk www.readingforlife.org.uk