teacher books

With reading enjoyment at its lowest point in two decades, 2026 has been declared the National Year of Reading, a call for schools and families to help children rediscover the joy of books.

What’s refreshing here is the approach: not another heavy initiative, but small, practical changes that can make a real difference.

I adored creative writing as a child – this was the 1980s, when fronted adverbials and modal verbs were the stuff of mystery to your average ten-year-old. We were encouraged to pile on the adjectives – though I doubt we knew they were ‘adjectives’. I remember writing about The Iron Man and can still picture gazing at the striking front cover while Mr Hetherington read aloud the unforgettable opening.