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BoomReader Reading for Pleasure Report findings
Introduction
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The UK Government’s Reading Framework stresses the importance of early reading fluency, engagement, and enjoyment. Reading habits formed in primary school have a long-term impact on children’s literacy skills and academic success.
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This report presents data collected through BoomReader.co.uk, reveals key trends across different year groups, and demonstrates how BoomReader’s data dashboard and logging features can help address some of these challenges.
Key Insights, Age-Related Trends & Recommendations​
1. Enjoyment of Reading
📖 Reading Framework Link: The framework emphasizes that children should associate reading with pleasure and purpose to build fluency and motivation.
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📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Enjoyment of reading declines with age:
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In Year 1, 66.7% of children say they “love” reading.
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By Year 6, this drops to 48.7%, and by Year 9, it falls even further.
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Older children are more likely to say they only “quite like” or “find reading okay” rather than loving it.
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Self-perception as a "good reader" is linked to enjoyment.
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85% of younger children (Years 1-4) believe they are good readers.
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Confidence declines in Years 5-9, where around 60% believe they are good readers.
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💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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BoomReader’s engagement tracking identifies students losing interest in reading as they progress through school. This allows schools to identify individuals and plan interventions to encourage a love of reading.
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Book recommendations via the book review tool - this can re-engage older children as they choose books recommended by their peers.
2. Preferred Reading Environments
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📖 Reading Framework Link: The framework stresses the need for a print-rich environment at both home and school to maintain regular reading habits.
📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Younger children (Year 1-3) prefer reading at home (83.3%).
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By Year 6, home reading drops to 62.3%, and school reading increases.
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Older students are less likely to read in varied settings, reducing exposure to different reading experiences.
💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Tracks reading frequency in home and school settings, helping teachers intervene when reading shifts negatively. The Data Dashboard allows demographic insights into the reading habits of children based on pupil premium, gender and ethnicity.
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Encourages parental engagement by tracking home reading progress.
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Encourages reading by awarding gems which can be used to personalise avatars and ‘purchase’ game cards. School ‘leader boards’ based on frequency of reading can encourage healthy competition.
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Allows comparison between classes allowing reading leads to monitor reading and stage interventions if needed.
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The Data Dashboard target setting tool allows teachers and reading leads set whole school reading targets and to monitor engagement for all classes, both in school and at home.
3. Reading Frequency at Home
📖 Reading Framework Link: The framework recommends daily reading at home to reinforce skills and fluency.
📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Daily reading declines with age:
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In Year 1, 66.7% read every day.
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By Year 6, only 48.1% read daily.
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5.1% of children do not read at home at all (higher in older year groups).
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💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Home reading logs allow parents and teachers to track reading consistency.
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Data-driven interventions can identify children at risk of reading infrequently.
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Reading engagement is rewarded by gems, allowing children ‘purchase’ virtual items within the platform.
4. Preferred Reading Materials
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📖 Reading Framework Link: The framework suggests that schools provide varied reading materials to meet different interests and abilities.
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📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Younger children (Years 1-3) prefer fiction and fairy tales, while older students (Years 5-6) shift towards non-fiction and magazines.
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Comics and graphic novels remain popular across all ages.
💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Tracks preferred book types by age group, helping schools tailor classroom libraries.
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The large database of books ensures struggling readers find materials that match their interests.
5. Perceived Reading Proficiency
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📖 Reading Framework Link: The framework states that building confidence in reading is essential for long-term literacy success.
📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Reading confidence is highest in Years 1-3 but declines in older students.
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In Year 2, 43% say they are "very good" readers.
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By Year 6, this drops to 32%, with more students saying they are only “okay.”
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💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Tracks reading fluency trends over time, allowing targeted support.
Gems, avatar customisation and book reviews help boost confidence in older students.
6. Library Membership
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📖 Reading Framework Link: The framework encourages regular library visits to expand book choices and develop independent reading habits.
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📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Library membership is highest in Years 4-5 (48.7%) but declines in older students.
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By Year 6, fewer than 40% of children use the library regularly.
💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Tracks library engagement trends: BoomReader’s data dashboard allows schools to monitor which students are actively using library resources and identify those who may benefit from encouragement to visit the library more frequently.
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Encourages book borrowing through tracked reading logs: By integrating library books into BoomReader’s reading logs, students can log their borrowed books, track their progress, and receive recognition or rewards for engaging with library materials.
7. Barriers to Reading More
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📖 Reading Framework Link: Schools should address barriers to reading, ensuring all children have access to books and time to read.
📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Younger children say they would read more if "someone read to them."
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Older children are more likely to say, "I don't have enough time."
💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Allows detailed tracking of reading habits across the school, allowing targeted intervention strategies.
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Promotes group reading and can log whole class reading by staff.
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Enables all staff to log reading, to make notes on pupil progress and to set targets for individual students.
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Regular BoomReader competitions reward reading frequency, encouraging reluctant readers to engage.
8. Motivations for Reading
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📖 Reading Framework Link: Reading should be encouraged as a pleasurable and useful skill, not just a school task.
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📊 Age-Related Trends & Concerns:
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Younger children read because they "enjoy it."
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Older children (Years 5-6) increasingly read "because they have to for school."
💡 How BoomReader & the Data Dashboard Can Help:
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Gamified reading challenges can make reading more enjoyable.
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Tracks student motivation levels, allowing early intervention.
Key Takeaways
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Reading enjoyment declines with age, but engagement can be improved with the right strategies.
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Personalised book selections, daily reading encouragement, and parental involvement are critical.
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Time constraints and curriculum pressures impact reading habits, especially in older students.
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Graphic novels, audiobooks, and diverse reading formats should be embraced.
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Home-school collaboration is key to maintaining reading motivation.
Final Recommendations
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Use BoomReader to track reading engagement: Helps identify students losing interest as they get older.
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Use the Data Dashboard to conduct in-depth analysis of reading habits, identifying whole school and class trends.
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Stage interventions based on BoomReader data.
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Ensure Home-School Reading Consistency: The data dashboard tracks reading habits across different environments.
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Promote Library Membership: Schools can use BoomReader to track engagement with library books and encourage participation.
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Support Reluctant Readers: Interactive logging and challenges keep students engaged.
Conclusion
This BoomReader survey highlights age-related trends in reading habits, showing declines in enjoyment, confidence, and library use over time. Schools and parents can use BoomReader’s data insights to implement targeted strategies and ensure children develop a lifelong love for reading.
Request School Level Data
If you know your school completed this survey, and would like school level data,a please contact support@boomhub.app