By age five, nearly 40% of the attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their peers by 16 has emerged. In June, the Education Endowment Foundation found that 44% of the GCSE disadvantage gap is established by age 11. This gap is partly caused by disadvantaged children falling behind in literacy before five.
According to the Sutton Trust, by the time pupils sit their GCSEs, there is a developmental gap of 19.1 months. Only 26 per cent of disadvantaged pupils attain a grade 5 or above in English and maths, whereas 53 per cent of all pupils achieve this benchmark.
Ahead of International Literacy Day on 8 September, the World Literacy Foundation is calling on individuals in the UK to address a critical issue: the availability of reading materials for young children.
One in ten children and young people aged 5 to 18 in the UK does not own a single book, according to National Literacy Trust research. Among those receiving free school meals, it is one in six, against one in eleven of their classmates.
“Literacy extends beyond the mere ability to read; it serves as a gateway to opportunities, a means to alleviate poverty, and a way to empower children to realise their full potential,” stated Andrew Kay, CEO and Founder of the World Literacy Foundation. “However, millions of young individuals continue to face a lack of access to both books and literacy support.”
The figures behind the concern:
- “By age five, approximately 40 per cent of the attainment gap expected by age 16 has already developed, and by age 11, 44 per cent of the gap in GCSE results is established (Education Endowment Foundation, Education Policy Institute, 2026).”
- England’s disadvantage gap widened once more in 2026 following a brief recovery after the pandemic, and it remains larger at every stage of education compared to the period preceding the pandemic (Education Policy Institute).
- One in ten children and young people in the UK, aged between 5 and 18, do not possess a book. This figure rises to one in six among those eligible for free school meals (National Literacy Trust, 2025).
- 739 million adults worldwide cannot read or write (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
- Seventy per cent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries are unable to read and comprehend a simple written text, an increase from 57 per cent prior to the pandemic (World Bank, UNESCO and UNICEF).
To commemorate the occasion, the Foundation has introduced the initiative One Book at a Time, inviting individuals worldwide to contribute $10 to provide a book for a child who does not own one. The goal is to reach 500,000 children, and donors can choose the region for their book.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of UNESCO’s establishment of International Literacy Day, celebrated under the 2026 theme “Literacy for People, the Planet, and Prosperity.”
Learn more
worldliteracyfoundation.org/international-literacy-day
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