Why Reading for Pleasure Still Matters - And How to Encourage It

Visit our school library at breaktime or lunchtime, and you’ll find it buzzing with life: students browsing the shelves, reading on beanbags, tucked away in reading nooks, or even sitting on the floor with a book in hand. It’s an encouraging sight. Speaking to these students, it’s clear they are passionate about books—one is even reading her way through the library from A to Z! Our Secondary Librarian, Mr Barlien, tells me that many of our most avid readers borrow new books every week.

However, there’s another side to the story. The reality is that a significant number of students are not reading regularly. As an English teacher, this concerns me—and in conversations with parents, I know this is a frustration at home, too. So why does reading matter so much, and how can we help inspire students to make it a habit?

Why is reading for pleasure so important?

A recent study by the UK’s National Literacy Trust found that only 1 in 5 young people aged 8 to 18 read for pleasure daily—the lowest number recorded since 2005. Worryingly, the percentage of teenagers reading daily declines as they progress through secondary school. More primary school students identify as “readers” compared to secondary students, which impacts confidence in learning.

There is also a significant gender gap: only 28.2% of boys aged 8 to 18 say they enjoy reading in their free time, compared with 40.5% of girls.

The UK Department for Education has established that reading for pleasure significantly enhances comprehension, writing, and speaking skills. It dramatically boosts vocabulary, cultural awareness, and general knowledge. You may have heard of the “million-word gap” between primary school children who are read to and those who are not. A similar gap exists in secondary education between those who read regularly and those who don’t. The good news? Even students who have drifted away from reading can return to it—often all it takes is the right book.

How can we encourage young adults to read more?

The best way to foster reading for pleasure is to make it a daily habit. Given that reading fiction aids relaxation and sleep, bedtime is an ideal time to build it into a routine.

Some of our students use Kindles and access free books via the National Library’s Libby app. Audiobooks can also be a fantastic option for reluctant readers—or even as a supplement to reading, increasing exposure to language, complex themes and characterisation.

There’s often debate about what students should read. While literary fiction has the strongest impact on vocabulary and comprehension, reading a variety of texts—memoirs, opinion articles, biographies—also provides immense benefits, particularly in preparation for IGCSE and IB English exams. It’s crucial to allow students the freedom to choose books that interest them while gently encouraging them to challenge themselves. Our librarian is an expert at guiding students who love comics toward chapter books that retain some of the appeal of graphic storytelling.

Whether the goal is reducing stress, improving sleep, gaining cultural awareness, or enhancing academic success, reading remains invaluable. Encouragingly, it’s never too late to develop good reading habits. All it takes is one amazing book.

Emily Johnston

Deputy Head of English