Children’s BookFest Teachers’ Conference

CHILDREN'S BOOKFEST BRINGS NATIONAL LITERACY EXPERTS TOGETHER AS

READING FOR PLEASURE FACES NEW CHALLENGES

Some of the UK's leading voices in literacy gathered alongside teachers from across the Chichester district last week to explore one of the biggest challenges facing schools today: how to inspire a lifelong love of reading.

Hosted by Chichester-based charity Children's BookFest at Chichester Library, the teachers' conference brought together literacy expert Charlotte Hacking, award-winning poet Simon Mole and author and teacher Nicola Garrard for an evening of discussion, practical ideas and shared experiences.

Taking place during the National Literacy Trust's National Year of Reading, the event came at a pivotal moment for children's reading. While the National Literacy Trust has reported a welcome increase in reading for pleasure among teenagers over the past six months, speakers highlighted that this reflects years of dedicated work by teachers, schools, libraries and literacy organisations. The greatest concern now lies with younger children, with the number of five to eight-year-olds choosing to read for pleasure having fallen significantly in recent years, while increasing curriculum pressures leave teachers working harder than ever to protect time for reading beyond the curriculum.

Although each speaker brought a different perspective, they all reached the same conclusion: children become readers not through pressure or obligation, but when they are given time, choice and opportunities to discover stories that matter to them.

The panel challenged the idea that there is a "right" way to read, arguing instead that poetry, graphic novels, picture books, audiobooks and comics all have an important role to play in helping children develop a lasting relationship with books.

Charlotte Hacking, Teacher Engagement Lead at the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy at UCL, said there were encouraging signs that more young people were choosing to read, thanks to the commitment of individuals and organisations championing reading. She encouraged schools to create more opportunities for children to discover books beyond the curriculum, meet authors and experience reading simply for enjoyment.

She stressed that the encouraging rise in teenage reading reflected years of sustained work by teachers and literacy organisations rather than a sudden change in behaviour, demonstrating the impact of consistent investment in reading for pleasure.

The discussion also explored how children’s relationship with reading changes as they grow older. Rather than assuming teenagers have switched off from books, Nicola Garrard, who conceived and leads Children's BookFest's inaugural BookFest YA programme, suggested many young people are simply reading for different reasons.

"We often talk about reading for pleasure, but that isn't always how teenagers experience books," she said. "They read for identity, to understand themselves and others, to explore difficult situations and to build empathy. Books become tools for navigating life as much as sources of enjoyment."

The Children's BookFest YA programme reached more than 800 secondary school students this summer through author visits, creative writing workshops and a Student Librarian Conference, reinforcing Nicola's belief that young people remain eager to engage with books when given the right opportunities.

Simon Mole spoke about the importance of schools and libraries as places where children can discover stories, particularly where books and reading are not part of everyday life at home. At a time when more than 800 public libraries have closed across the UK over the past 15 years, one in seven secondary schools no longer has a library and one in ten school libraries no longer has a librarian, he argued that creating opportunities for children to encounter books has never been more important.

As a poet and performer, he also encouraged teachers and parents to embrace reading aloud with confidence rather than perfection, reminding them that sharing stories together remains valuable throughout childhood and adolescence.

"Reading aloud doesn't require a perfect performance," he said. "Being willing to have a go, to be playful and even a little vulnerable shows children that stories are meant to be shared. The time invested in reading together is never wasted."

During the evening, Charlotte Hacking also praised the work of Children's BookFest in connecting children with books and authors.

"What you do is so special and so important. In a different world, books and author visits would be part of children's minimum entitlement, but unfortunately they are not, so the work you do championing reading, connecting authors and teachers, and getting books into the hands and hearts of children is so vital."

Since launching in 2019, Children's BookFest has placed more than 35,000 books into the hands of children across the Chichester district, while giving thousands more the opportunity to meet the authors and illustrators behind the stories they love.

Georgina Lippiett, Festival Director of Children's BookFest, said the evening reflected the charity's commitment to supporting not only children, but also the teachers introducing them to books every day.

"Teachers create readers. They are already doing incredible work in increasingly challenging circumstances. By bringing together nationally respected voices with local educators, we wanted to create an opportunity to share ideas, ask questions and leave feeling inspired. If we can support teachers, connect children with authors and make books more accessible, we can help more young people discover a love of reading that lasts a lifetime."

The teachers' conference reflects the growing role of Children's BookFest in championing reading across the community, bringing together educators, authors and literacy specialists while creating more opportunities for children and families to discover the joy of reading. Alongside its annual festivals in Chichester, Bognor Regis and Midhurst, the charity has expanded its work to include BookFest YA for secondary schools, partnerships with organisations including Chichester District Foodbank and a growing year-round programme of literacy initiatives.