Every secondary school in Salford will be eligible for new funding to buy books, eBooks and audiobooks, the city’s MP has announced. Schools in Salford will automatically receive between £450 and £1,400 under the new funding, without needing to apply, Rebecca Long-Bailey has confirmed.
Extra funding will also go towards schools serving more disadvantaged communities, although it has not yet been confirmed which schools will receive additional money. The Salford MP said the investment would help give young people greater access to reading, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.
MP welcomes investment for young readers
Long-Bailey said: “This is a positive step that will benefit young people across Salford. Every child deserves the chance to get lost in a good book, regardless of their family’s income. That’s why this new funding for secondary schools in Salford is such welcome news.”
She added: “A love of reading can change a young person’s life. It builds confidence, broadens horizons and opens doors to new opportunities.”
Literacy levels in Salford below national average
The investment appears to be needed, as the latest survey by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) put Salford as one of the lowest areas in England for literacy skills in young children. The data highlights that around 36.7 per cent of children in Salford start primary school lacking the foundational literacy skills they need to thrive, compared to 31.2 per cent nationally.
Martha O’Brien, manager of the National Literacy Trust in Salford, welcomed the investment and said well-resourced school libraries could help improve young people’s life chances. She said: “National Literacy Trust research shows that reading enjoyment falls drastically as young people start secondary school, highlighting the urgent need for support for teenagers.”
O’Brien continued: “We therefore welcome this investment in secondary school libraries as we know that well-resourced libraries spark curiosity, build confidence, and nurture lifelong reading habits that can transform life chances. We’ve been working across Salford to support literacy in schools and the wider community since 2024. We look forward to continuing this work, as part of the National Year of Reading and beyond, to help this important funding make the greatest possible impact.”
Funding aimed at secondary schools
The National Literacy Trust began working in Salford in October 2024, when concerns were raised that more than a third of children in the city were starting primary school without the literacy skills they needed to thrive. The figure was reported to be above the national average at the time.
The new funding is aimed at secondary schools, giving them money to invest in reading materials as pupils progress through their education. Additional support for schools serving disadvantaged communities is also planned, with further details about the distribution of the funding yet to be confirmed.
