Petition Make school libraries and librarians a statutory requirement
Access to a school library and a qualified librarian should be the right of every child. Government should create a statutory requirement for every school to have a library and qualified librarian to support the development of learning and reading for pleasure.
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Evidence shows that reading for pleasure improves life outcomes, lifelong mental health and academic attainment and has a greater impact on children’s attainment than socio-economic background. Despite this, 1 in 7 primary schools in England don’t have a library. Many more have a library but no qualified staff. Libraries are a statutory requirement in prisons but not in schools and in an era where schools are chronically underfunded anything non-statutory will be the first thing to disappear.
At 10,000 signatures...
At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition
At 100,000 signatures...
At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament