Premier League and literary greats back National Year of Reading
Millions of children, families and communities will benefit from the power of reading as the government and National Literacy Trust kick off the National Year of Reading.
The campaign ‘Go All In’ aims to tackle the worrying decline in reading for pleasure, especially among young people which has dropped to its lowest level since 2005, with just one in three 8- to 18-year-olds saying they enjoy reading in their spare time and teenage boys affected the most – in 2025, just 25% of boys aged 8-18 said they enjoy reading, compared to 39% of girls.
The year aims to address this challenge head on bringing together everyone from families and schools, to libraries, businesses and ambassadors to connect people of all ages with the joy – and varied benefits – of reading for pleasure. The campaign is calling on everyone to make time to Go All In and read about the everyday things they love – from playlists and football to films, food and family time – in whatever way that works for them, whether reading a novel, an e-reader, a comic, or an online blog.
Women’s Super League star Leah Williamson, authors Cressida Cowell, George the Poet, Micheal Morpurgo and Julia Donaldson, as well as social media star Jack Edwards alongside Richard Osman and Joe Wicks are just some of the ambassadors who will use their voices and platforms to encourage the nation to get reading.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson formally launched the campaign today (13 January 2026) at Emirates Stadium the home of Arsenal Football Club highlighting how passions such as football can ignite a love of reading and lead to amazing jobs in sports punditry or production.
“Some of my happiest childhood memories are of reading with my grandad, getting lost in The Chronicles of Narnia together. I want every child to feel that same joy, whether their passion is football, fantasy or physics.”
Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary
Reading is linked to a range of benefits including stronger writing skills, improved wellbeing and confidence, as well as increased creativity and imagination, but there are still too many children being held back from achieving their full potential with over a quarter leaving primary school not reaching the reading age of an 11 year old. This grows to 40% and 59% respectively for children from white-working class backgrounds and those with special educational needs.
“The National Year of Reading provides us with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate the UK’s relationship with reading and change people’s life stories. Whether it’s a baby experiencing the magic of a picture book for the first time, a family listening to an audiobook on the school run, a teenager immersed in fan fiction or an adult reading the football pages on their commute, reading is for everyone.”
Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust
The campaign builds on the action already underway by government to drive high and rising standards in literacy through its Plan for Change to support a decade of national renewal. This includes a new mandatory reading test for all pupils in year 8 so children who struggle with reading are identified early and get the support they need to catch up, and millions invested to support the teaching of reading and writing, and open up access to a wider range of books in schools.
“The Go All In campaign is a massive moment for literacy in this country. Football is all about moments too. It’s all about chances. Waiting for them to arise and taking them when they do. The National Year of Reading 2026 is YOUR chance to really Go All In on your passions by reading into them. So, seize the moment and take that chance. Pick up a book, listen to an audiobook, get stuck into articles on whatever you love. It all counts. Because if you’re into it, read into it.”
Leah Williamson, Arsenal Women and England Lioness captain and children’s author
The launch today follows the government confirming plans to develop the first-ever early years screen time guidance to help parents make informed and confident choices about how screens fit into family life, encouraging a healthy balance that leaves space for shared reading and conversation that support children’s early development and help to build strong language and literacy skills.
From national moments to local reading activities, the year will offer events and celebrations reaching into every corner of society. Highlights include national storytelling week, creative writing competitions, parent and baby community sessions, and ‘In conversation’ events with bestselling authors like Celia Rees, with more to be announced throughout the year.
The campaign is spotlighting the vital role volunteers play in supporting literacy projects, by recruiting 100,000 new volunteers to join the national effort and creating more opportunities for people to join in, whether organising a book event in for the local community or helping adults to read for the first time.
Materials and training will be made available to encourage everyone across the nation to ‘Go All In’ including booksellers, the criminal justice sector, libraries, schools and early years settings. As part of this, both parents and teachers will be able to access a wealth of resources to help support them in the mission to encourage children to discover the joy of reading for pleasure and ensure that every child is given the best start in life.