As one of the highlights of its Legacy Year, The Foyle Foundation adds to its £12.3 million investment in the development of libraries in state schools across the nation with a further £1.8 million to support the National Literacy Trust and Penguin Books Libraries for Primaries programme to provide a library in every primary school by the end of the decade.

Research suggests that 1 in 7 state primary schools in the UK still lack a dedicated library or reading space which increases to 1 in 4 in more disadvantaged areas [1] and just 1 in 3 children and young people read for pleasure in their spare time [2].

Over the last 25 years, the Foyle Foundation has invested more than £180 million in charitable causes including  the arts and education in the UK. Its specific investment of £12.3 million to date in the Foyle School Library Programme aimed at tackling the crisis in children’s literacy has supported more than 2,000 state schools across the country potentially reaching more than half a million children.  In addition they have funded a further 300 schools under Libraries for Primaries.

David Hall, Chief Executive of the Foyle Foundation, said: “2025 is our legacy year. A year when all our major funding campaigns come to conclusion. As we reach our goal to invest meaningfully in a sustainable future for arts and education in this country, we have put in place clear strategies for the work to be continued through a series of legacy partnerships with like-minded organisations.

The work we have undertaken since 2009 to research and identify need in schools across the country made it absolutely clear that there should be a library in every primary school. With reading and literacy levels falling we learnt very early on that there is no statutory requirement for primary school children to benefit from a school library. This is simply unacceptable in a modern society. The benefits to children of access to books and reading in primary schools, including cognitive development as well as language skills, and the stimulation of imagination and increased empathy are well documented.  We identified the National Literacy Trust as the ideal partner to take the work forward to its conclusion. Their Libraries for Primaries Campaign built on our own efforts.

We are confident that this partnership with the National Literacy Trust will protect and enhance our investment to ensure that every child will have access to a library in their primary school by the end of the decade.”

Founded in November 2021 by the National Literacy Trust and Penguin Books, the Libraries for Primaries campaign is a group of organisations that address the lack of investment in primary school libraries. ​ As well as the Foyle Foundation, Libraries for Primaries partners include Arts Council England, Bloomberg, Oxford University Press, The Portal Trust, The Unwin Foundation, The Julia Rausing Trust, and 35 publishing partners. So far, Libraries for Primaries has transformed over 1,500 school libraries and trained over 3,000 teachers and support staff.

Jonathan Douglas CBE, CEO at the National Literacy Trust, said: “The National Literacy Trust is delighted to have the support of the Foyle Foundation as we continue our work to ensure every primary school has a library. We know that being given the opportunity to read for pleasure at primary school improves self-esteem, empathy and academic performance and, over the past four years, we have seen the real difference these libraries have made to half a million children. Without the incredible support of Foyle, our flagship partners, our publishing partners and supporting organisations, transforming these reading spaces with new, diverse and inspiring books – 628,000 to date – would simply not be possible.”

Cressida Cowell, MBE, Author, said: “In just a few years, the Libraries for Primaries initiative has introduced a reading for pleasure culture in 1,500 primary schools, which is incredible, especially since we know that 1 in 7 schools in the UK doesn’t have a dedicated reading space, and only 1 in 3 children enjoy reading. This work is urgent, important and, thanks to everyone who is championing it – authors, publishers, and businesses- change is possible.”

Alison Cole, Director, The Cultural Policy Unit, said: “The goal of a library for every school is something we wholeheartedly support,  and the Foyle Foundation’s contribution is a tremendous step towards achieving this. We have also proposed a new National Library Card, issued at birth, with the aim of making library membership a universal right for every child, together with reaffirming libraries’ vital role in the lives of every citizen, school and community.”

Press Enquiries:

Jane Quinn, Susie Gault, Bolton & Quinn +44(0)20 7221 5000

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*Research references:

[1] Working Together Towards a Library in Every Primary School (National Library Trust, 2022)

[2] Children and Young People’s Reading in 2025 (National Literacy Trust, 2025)