CHILDREN’S reading habits are at “crisis point” as the number enjoying books in their free time has plummeted to just one in three, a report reveals today.

Only 34.6 per cent of young people aged eight to 18 said they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2024, down from 43.4 per cent in 2023, according to research by the National Literacy Trust (NLT) charity.

This is the lowest level recorded since the charity began the survey in 2005.

The gender gap has also widened significantly with fewer than three in 10 boys aged eight to 18 saying they enjoy reading, compared with two in five girls, the survey found.

The report highlights a “particular crisis” among secondary school pupils, where the figure is especially low.

Packed curriculums, high expectations, and Covid-19 pandemic impacts may be limiting reading time, the report says.

The NLT is calling on the government to urgently form a task force to address declining rates of reading enjoyment.

School leaders’ union NAHT general secretary Paul Whiteman called the findings “extremely concerning,” adding that reading can have “enormous benefits” on young people.

“One of the aims of education must surely be that children and young people develop a love of reading,” he said.

Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “This research should be ringing the alarm bells at the Department for Education.

“There is simply too much to teach. Children are racing through subjects without time to consolidate or enjoy learning — including reading for pleasure.

“The government must put an end to statutory testing in primaries so that educators can deliver an enriching curriculum and instil a love of reading in our schools.”