As the summer term ends, the reading books go home in book bags… and for many children, they stay there.

Research shows that some children lose up to two months of reading progress over the holidays — roughly equivalent to undoing a full term of phonics teaching. The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) refers to this as summer learning loss, and NFER analysis suggests these setbacks are most pronounced in reading. While the evidence varies, the pattern is clear: some children consolidate — others fall behind.

For children from well-resourced homes, this might not matter. They’ll be read to. They’ll visit the library. They’ll have access to books, stories and time. But for others — including many of the children we worry most about — summer can be a silent slide backwards.

This isn’t just a learning dip. It’s an equity issue. And it’s growing.

Recent Phonics Screening Check results show many schools making excellent progress, but national data still highlights persistent gaps. Without action, summer can undo hard-won gains before Year 2 even begins.

We don’t need glossy campaigns or complex initiatives. A few focused, achievable actions can make a lasting difference — especially for children on the margins.

1. Launch a simple reading challenge
Make it open and accessible. Let children choose what they read — comics, signs, recipes. The goal isn’t tracking — it’s continuity.

2. Send home books — lots of them
Use donations, old stock or PTA help to send every child home with five or more books. No strings. Just a message that reading matters.

3. Keep eBooks switched on
For families without shelves of books, digital access can be a lifeline. If your school has an eBook platform, make sure it remains open — and visible.

4. Make it personal
A quiet word from a teacher — “I picked this for you” — carries more power than any sticker chart. Personal encouragement sticks.

5. Target the families who need it most
Use WhatsApp, translated letters, or your pastoral team. Offer small, practical ideas. Reading a recipe, spotting signs on a walk — it all counts.

I write this not just as an educator, but as someone who grew up in a home without books. I know what it means when school opens a door that’s closed at home. Reading changed my life — and I believe it can do the same for every child, if we give them the chance.

Some children read more over the holidays. Some stop reading altogether. As school leaders, we have a short window to act — before that gap widens.

It doesn’t have to be big. But it does have to be done.