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Writing to key stakeholders stressing the importance of parents - fathers and mothers - and the Government’s role in supporting them, the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, said:

“Traditionally, parenting has been a “no-go” area for governments. But now more than ever government needs to be supportive of parents who are themselves increasingly seeking help.

“One of the most important things a parent can do to boost the educational chances of their children is to read to them. Simple, yes - but in a busy world it doesn’t happen enough. 30 per cent of parents don’t read regularly with their young children - a vital but missed opportunity to boost their children’s development. We watch an average of four hours television a day. If we read to our children for just a tenth of this every day, we’d give their chances a massive boost.  

“That’s why I’m announcing that we will have a National Year of Reading starting in 2008 – ten years on from the first Year of Reading - which I hope will bring about another step-change in attitudes to reading for purpose and pleasure.”

The National Year of Reading will be aimed at everyone from toddlers to grandparents, from avid readers to those who are less enthusiastic. 

During the last Year of Reading, in 1998, teachers, school librarians and governors organised thousands of reading events in schools including author visits, book festivals and reading clubs. Schools also benefited from a significant increase in the number of businesses committing employees to reading volunteer schemes. National businesses already involved in literacy projects stepped up their activities; other businesses got involved on a local basis. 

Encouraging everyone who can make a contribution to help make the National Year of Reading a success, Mr Johnson said:

“Reading opens up a world of opportunities and books are the foundation on which we can build other learning. Reading should be a source of pleasure in itself, as well as an essential support for increasing the life chances of children.  In this Year I want to enable young people and families from across the country to step into the world of written words.  Books, magazines, comics, the reading matter is less important than children learning to love reading.  This is about far more than a book at bedtime - we want to make reading an integral part of everyone’s lives.

“The success of books like the Harry Potter series shows that reading can be made accessible and attractive to young people – we need to build on that.  For example, to help get boys reading we will put a boys’ bookshelf in every secondary school library in the country containing positive, modern, relevant role models for boys.  We will soon be calling on organisations concerned with education and parenting we well as businesses to come forward and tell us what contribution they can make.

“Involving the whole of society in a wide-ranging national campaign to encourage and promote more reading will help provide the impetus to put reading at the top of everyone’s agenda.  I want to encourage the public and private sectors; charities and voluntary organisations; schools, colleges and libraries; those concerned with parenting; publishers and booksellers – everyone who believes in the importance of reading - to come forward and tell us what contribution they can make.  Only by working together in partnership can we truly make this new National Year of Reading a success, and build a nation of readers.”

Further key elements of Every Parent Matters

• a new family learning course will be piloted for those parents and carers of pre-school children who themselves have literacy and numeracy needs to help them support their children up to the age of five
• parents with numeracy and literacy needs who have children in year 7 will receive a pack encouraging them to participate in learning activities with their children. These packs will be issued when their children receive their free book in Autumn this year
• training will be offered to help all local authorities deliver information sessions for parents whose child is entering primary or secondary school. These sessions aim to increase parents’ understanding of the challenges their child is likely to face and boost parents’ confidence and willingness to engage with their child’s school and learning
• DfES will encourage the establishment of Parent Councils in schools to give many more parents a voice about the issues that matter – like discipline and uniform
• the lessons learned from a Parent Support Advisor pilot will be mainstreamed through extended schools, which has been developing models of good practice in early intervention and preventative support for parents
• the guidance on Home School Agreements (which provide information about the agreed responsibilities of schools and parents and what is expected of children) will be strengthened and re-launched

Every Parent Matters also showcases some of the excellent and innovative ways public services are beginning to work with parents, particularly those who, for whatever reason, services have traditionally found it hardest to help, such as:

• engaging fathers by running sessions where dads and their children work together on an allotment, visit sports facilities or take part in music or photography projects
• carrying out home visits before children start school
• offering activities at different times of day, including beyond the school day, so that it is easier for working parents to be involved
• provision for parents without a home computer, such as making school computers available to parents out of hours
• offering web-based updates to parents on their child’s attainment
• texting parents to let them know their child is absent from school.

Further information

A version of Every Parents Matters, specially produced for parents, is available to download.

The more detailed policy version is available from the teachernet website.

• Download Every Parent Matters - information for parents (PDF, 3539K)
• More information from teachernet Opens new window