A recent survey of nearly 1,900 secondary school pupils across the UK reveals a concerning decline in reading for pleasure among young teenagers, with over half confessing they read less for enjoyment since starting secondary school. This trend highlights a growing challenge in fostering literacy and enthusiasm for reading outside of academic demands, raising questions about the support schools provide and the broader implications for student engagement and achievement.
The survey, conducted in partnership with online revision platform Save My Exams, shows that while 57% of pupils have read a book for fun in the past year, a significant 24% only read when required for schoolwork, and 18% do not enjoy reading for pleasure at all. When given free time, merely 15% choose reading over other popular activities such as sports, watching TV or streaming, and social media browsing. Alarmingly, almost 40% of pupils feel their schools provide insufficient support to improve their reading skills, with some turning to AI tools like ChatGPT for assistance instead.
This decline in voluntary reading habits coincides with wider educational concerns. The proportion of students passing compulsory English GCSEs has fallen, with only 59.7% passing this year, down from 64.2% two years ago. Exam boards report a rising number of resits in English, reflecting persistent difficulties that literacy initiatives aim to address. Former teacher Lucy Kirkham, head of content creation for Save My Exams, points to the constraints of the current curriculum, arguing that narrowing the range of texts available to students diminishes their engagement and enjoyment. She advocates for more varied and diverse reading materials in schools, including graphic novels and online texts, and allowing pupils some choice in what they study, to reignite their interest.
The government recognises the urgency of this challenge. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has underscored reading as foundational to educational success and life opportunities, noting that a lack of reading skills leads to disengagement and poor attendance. To counteract these trends, the Department for Education is introducing a mandatory reading test for all Year 8 students in England. This test, designed not as a hurdle to study for but as a tool to identify those needing extra support before GCSEs, forms part of a broader literacy strategy. The government is also investing £27.7 million to support reading and writing teaching, including special programmes targeting pupils who make the slowest progress.
Further building on these efforts, a National Year of Reading will be launched in 2026 to encourage a love of reading among children and young people. This initiative aims to involve parents, schools, libraries, businesses, and literacy experts in creating a culture that prioritises reading for pleasure. Education Secretary Phillipson has urged parents to foster daily reading habits at home, recognising that family encouragement and access to books play a crucial role in developing young readers' skills and interests.
These government measures complement existing campaigns like "Reading: the next steps," which seeks to inspire primary school pupils through book clubs, library memberships, and enhanced poetry resources, laying groundwork for sustained literacy development.
The decline in reading enjoyment is particularly marked among secondary school boys, as confirmed by research from the National Literacy Trust and other studies. Boys report lower levels of pleasure in reading and are more likely to perceive reading as a chore rather than a fun activity. Teachers note this gender disparity, with a third believing male pupils see being asked to read as punitive.
The cumulative data presents a pressing literacy issue in UK secondary education—the diminishing habit of reading for enjoyment linked to a perceived lack of adequate school support and shrinking curricular diversity. While the government’s new testing and funding initiatives represent significant steps, experts emphasise that revitalising a culture of reading also depends on re-engaging pupils through enjoyable and varied texts, active encouragement from both schools and families, and recognising the diverse ways young people consume and interact with literature today.
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Source: Noah Wire Services