by Cressida Crowell, the outgoing children’s laureate has transformed six primary schools through her Life-changing Libraries initiative, but says a ringfenced fund is needed for lasting impact. Her project resulted in reports of “increased attention, engagement and motivation to learn in the classroom” and improvements in pupils’ writing, “particularly in the use of vocabulary and imagination”. Libraries in schools are not statutory, and research shows that one in eight primary schools has no library space at all. This figure doubles in schools with a higher proportion of children on free school meals.
________________________
Do you believe this investment is apt?