The School Library Association has been awarded £500,000 by the Charlotte Aitken Trust to launch Reading Reboot - our new reading programme bringing social, librarian-led book clubs to secondary schools across England. This is the most significant grant the Trust has ever made, and we couldn't be more proud to receive it.
Beginning in September 2026, the Reading Reboot programme will deliver 1,000 social book clubs in over 100 secondary school libraries in London, the West Midlands and North East of England. Over three years, the programme will directly reach over 6,000 young people and 100 school librarians and senior school leaders.
The pioneering programme will focus on Year 8 pupils, targeting the age at which reading for pleasure often shows the steepest decline, and a year group that will soon be subject to a new mandatory reading test.
Building on the success of the 2024 Social Reading Spaces study, run in collaboration with Farshore and Harper Collins Children's Books, Reading Reboot will deliver ten-week book clubs, run in dedicated spaces within school libraries, by specially trained school librarians.
The book clubs will include key components such as dedicated space and time for reading engagement within the school timetable; dedicated book stock, with 100+ new books provided to each participating school; free choice of book titles for participating pupils, and a removal of the pressure to read. This simple approach to book clubs has been proven to increase reading engagement, increase reading age outcomes, improve the wellbeing of participating young people and build the positive, social associations with books and literature that will change attitudes to reading – taking it from a subject to be learnt, to an activity that can bring joy.
SLA CEO Victoria Dilly said: “Changing attitudes to reading cannot be achieved through instruction alone - it requires reading role models, dedicated time and resources, and a commitment to meeting young people where they are. With these things in place, we know change can happen quickly. The young people who participate in this programme will be given the opportunity to rediscover the joy of reading, on their own terms. We know increased reading engagement can transform a young person’s experience of education, their creativity, and their future.
The Reading Reboot programme will equip librarians and school leaders with professional development, build library collections, and help create engaging reading spaces for the whole school community to use. Those involved will be galvanised and empowered to advocate for reading and for the school library, with clear evidence of impact.
By awarding this funding, the Charlotte Aitken Trust has given us the means to build a legacy that will cascade across cohorts and extend beyond individual schools. We are hugely grateful to the Charlotte Aitken Trust for their support, and I feel incredibly privileged to lead the SLA in this new endeavour. Looking forward, we will use the insights gained from this programme to raise awareness with key policymakers, demonstrating the positive impact that happens when you invest in school libraries, librarians and time for reading.”
Lauren Howard, Trustee, Charlotte Aitken Trust said:
“As a Trustee of the Charlotte Aitken Trust, I am incredibly proud that we are supporting the SLA’s Reading Reboot programme. We believe deeply in the power of literature to transform lives, and this initiative reflects that belief in action. By creating dedicated social reading spaces within school libraries, led by trained librarians and grounded in the freedom of choice, the programme enables young people to encounter books beyond the pressures of assessment and discover books on their own terms, reframing reading not simply as a subject to be studied but as an activity to be enjoyed.
Year 8 is such a formative moment in a young person’s life; it was at that age that books changed the course of my own. The right book at the right time can alter a life’s trajectory, and we are proud to support a programme designed to offer that opportunity to young people across the country.”
The School Library Association believes that school libraries have the power to renew children and young people’s reading engagement. By placing school librarians at the heart of the delivery, the Reading Reboot programme will clearly demonstrate the impact and value that librarians bring to their school communities and to the children and young people they support.
Sebastian Faulks, Chair, Charlotte Aitken Trust said: “The Charlotte Aitken Trust is proud to be making this contribution in the National Year of Reading. Literature and literacy, especially among young people, are in crisis and we believe the School Library Association programme, which we are backing with an initial half a million pounds, could make a real difference."
State schools can sign up to receive more information about the Reading Reboot programme now. Schools will not have to be existing SLA members to apply to take part, as those who are selected will receive SLA membership as a part of the programme. Further detail about the recruitment criteria will be shared in due course.
Sign up to receive Reading Reboot programme updates
We will soon be opening book submissions from publishers. Keep an eye on our news channels for more
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