We want to see the following examples of good practice, which already takes place in many schools, being adopted in every school: 

1. Every child deserves to have access to a quality range of children’s books and the encouragement and opportunity to read them. Therefore, every school needs a library. There should be someone in the school who is trained and interested in running the school library and to be on hand to give advice to every teacher to help them with their class libraries and to find the right books for the right child at the right time. 

2. The school should encourage books in the home. Parents and carers need to be actively involved by schools in their child’s development as a reader. For example, schools should work with the local public library and encourage children and their parents to join through regular class visits and via information packs. 

3. Every school should be able to advise individual parents and carers about specific books that might interest their children. 

4. Every meeting held by teachers to help parents understand what literacy is should feature books in the same room and time to help parents understand them. 

5. Reading should be visibly valued by the whole school community. For example, there should be school-run book clubs for teachers, parents, and children. 

6. Reading to and with children is vital to engage children in a love of books. A regular time to read aloud with children is an important part of this.  Older children should be encouraged to read to each other and to younger children. There should also be opportunities to discuss what has been read. Adults as well as children should be seen reading in the school. 

7. Children and adults in the school community should be encouraged to recommend books to each other by means of book swaps, prominently displayed reviews, assembly presentations and posters 

8. Adults need to keep up to date with children’s books or to know how to find a book that might appeal to the children in the school. This can be done effectively through liaison with school and public librarians. Schools should also keep and use reviews of children’s books from publications such as Books for Keeps, Carousel, The Times Educational Supplement, Child and Junior Education, The School Librarian and various websites such as The ReadingZone.

9. Every school should hold book events where writers, illustrators, story-tellers, librarians and other book enthusiasts come in and talk or perform for the children and their parents and carers. Schools should also invite in local bookshops, book clubs and book fairs as part of these events. 

10. Schools should seize opportunities from visits to museums to visits from outside ‘experts’ and school trips and support these events and activities with books. Regular, whole school projects should be run where a topic or theme can be supported by books of all kinds. Schools Library Services are perfectly set up to supply a school with books for all ages and abilities around one theme.