When the government announced the National Year of Reading for 2026, it was against a background picture in which only 32.7% of 8-to-18-year-olds said they enjoyed reading in their free time, and only 26.6% said they enjoyed writing in their free time (National Literacy Trust, National Literacy Survey, 2025). The campaign contributes to a mission to break the link between a child's background and what they go on to achieve, especially as we know that low literacy in adulthood is linked to lower wages and poorer health outcomes, and that a lack of reading skills can be a major contributor to an intergenerational cycle of poverty (Adult Literacy Trust).

Strong literacy is linked to better wellbeing and increased confidence. Sound literacy skills provide the foundation for us to participate in society, achieve our goals, and develop our knowledge and potential.

The NPQ in Leading Literacy is for teachers who lead, or aspiring to lead, on literacy in any phase of education, including teachers, heads of departments, teaching development leads and senior leaders.

Participants will learn:

• To support staff, of all subject specialisms, to develop pupils’ language and literacy skills
• How pupils develop aspects of literacy, including how children learn to talk, how effective spoken language supports literacy development at every age, how children learn to become fluent readers and how teachers can support this across every stage.
• To support pupils' writing – whether learning to write in primary school, through to writing academically at key stage five.
• To support, develop and teach pupils literacy using evidence-informed approaches.
• How to lead literacy through curriculum, culture and motivation.
• How effective literacy education can support your school.
• To contribute to effective professional development for literacy, linking it to teaching, the curriculum and assessment across the school.

When schools invest in literacy leadership, they unlock benefits far beyond the classroom: pupils become more confident, more engaged, and more empowered to thrive in their learning and lives.

Find out more, including funding availability and how to apply.