About

Since specialising in children's literature at university, I have continued to enjoy reading it for pleasure, not just for work. When I started teaching English in secondary schools, helping each child find a book they enjoyed became a huge priority for me.

As my career developed, so did a decline in reading for pleasure among 8 to 18 year-olds, confirmed by the National Literacy Trust in 2025. In the classroom, I worked with increasing numbers of Year 7 pupils who were able to read, but weren't choosing to in their spare time. I had to support them with the resulting impact on their confidence, vocabulary, comprehension, SPaG and even their ability to use their imagination when writing. But, perhaps more importantly, I knew they were missing out on the ways reading can support wellbeing.

Becoming a parent let me engage more intimately with the reading process, and the joy it can bring, from the very beginning. At six, my daughter has already built a positive reading identity of her own, but she is at a huge advantage. For children who don't have guidance and encouragement at home, positive habits are harder to form. And even for those who do, children now live in a world where reading competes with a range of media built to hold their attention.

It was only when I began working in upper KS2 that I really understood the scale of the issue. Witnessing that widening gap was the impetus behind Reading Remedy. I believe the transition between primary and secondary school is a window of opportunity.