Bookstart funding to stop in England from April 2011

[Campaspe]

I've posted this in chat, but guess it really belongs here.

www.voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/wordpress/?p =777

Hope this link works. It advises that from April 2011, all funding for Bookstart will stop, but this applies in England only. See the Booktrust website for more details.

I am so angry at this short-sighted decision and the fact that is applies to England only. How can I campaign to get this changed? Anything that promotes reading and education for children in this way helps to create a more just and equal society. HOw can we not afford to support literacy in this way????

This Government made it totally clear that they were going to deal with the spending deficit via cuts so anyone who voted for this shower has no right to complain whatsoever. There seem to be far to many people who think there should be cuts so long as it isn't to things that they use.

Saying that... I didn't vote for this lot and think this is scandalous. The thing that makes me furious is that they are intending to bring in an additional test for 6 year olds - and just how much money is that going to cost to resource and administer? I've no doubt it will cost more than the 13m this was costing them. So instead of funding something that encouraged children to read, they are bringing in yet another test which will only put some children off - but then again I guess it keeps certain elements of the gutter press and a load of old dears happy so that's ok then.

And all this from Michael Gove, someone who takes his children to book festivals and so knows what a love of reading can bring. I don't think I could possibly hold more contempt for him.

'Of primary concern in both mainstream and SEN circles is the measured fall in reading standards of seven year olds throughout the 1980s and beyond (Turner, 1990) and its co-occurrence with a replacement of teaching by phonics in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the ?Whole Language? or ?Real Books? ideology (Chall, 2000). Research demonstrates that, additionally, cognitive and oral language skills are under-developed in struggling readers, limiting academic progress (Lyon, 2006).
Of primary concern in both mainstream and SEN circles is the measured fall in reading standards of seven year olds throughout the 1980s and beyond (Turner, 1990) and its co-occurrence with a replacement of teaching by phonics in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the ?Whole Language? or ?Real Books? ideology (Chall, 2000). Research demonstrates that, additionally, cognitive and oral language skills are under-developed in struggling readers, limiting academic progress (Lyon, 2006).

Well this is a start.

It is a great pity but honestly aside from the excellent points already made, but do people honestly believe that FIVE books between the ages of 0 and 12 will have an impact on those children (parents) who need to encouragement to become readers. The books are a lovely gift for those families who value books.

Quite.

Our library service sends boxes of books into school each term which we can loan out to pupils perhaps this might be something for other councils to consider for families who do not live near to a library.

So that says that reading standards haven't improved. What about encouraging parents to read with their kids? Has the scheme had any effect there?

I cannot reconcile the fact that the Govt races off to drop 40 million into the UN foreign aid fund whilst stopping the 14 million for books for our own children. Surely the thing to do would have been to give the UN 26 million and keep our book funding. After all we cannot be responsible for the whole world now we are in the brown and smelly stuff.

The government has done a U-turn. Story - here.

Hmm. Interesting feel-good timing!

Personally, though I approve of Bookstart broadly, I'd far rather they prioritised keeping the local and well-sed libraries open. We're about to lose both of our local ones (3 miles apart) in a rural area, one of which is in an estate where a lot of children simply don't leave the area, since the school, health centre and leisure centre are all there. Now they don't have a library.

The other one is our local library, is usually packed out with young children and elderly local residents, and DS is distraught. It's his favourite place and the librarian there is one of his favourite adults.

Ok, so we're middle-classed and live in a house full of books. DS and his brother aren't going to go without reading when the library closes. But a local library is more than that. It teaches people that they don't have to have money to read. It teaches values about sharing common property and respecting it and other people who use it. Its continued presence in an area demonstrates that reading and learning are important and worth promoting. It's all very well to have a go at the middle-classes who are protesting the library closures and end of Bookstart (or otherwise ), as I've seen a lot of in the media, but libraries ARE for everyone and they are a vital part of society.

Really must write some of that to the complete arsehole charming local politician who is in charge of shutting down half of Oxfordshire's libraries.

Petition signed - www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/savebookstart

'So that says that reading standards haven't improved. What about encouraging parents to read with their kids? Has the scheme had any effect there?'

Iggly, none that I know of and even if it 'encouraged parents to read more' (a very hard to measure outcome), if reading levels still dire, what purpose does it serve?

Let's stop pretending that deprived disrticts are full of people champing at the bit to get their kids into libraries. What a load of crap. Most people's kids (my own included) would be very happy spending their lives lolling in front of computers and tvs. The only way to encourage them to read is to turned the damned machines off and most people haven't the willpower or discipline to do so.

In my own house, there are things I expect my children to do every single day of the year, (Christmas included) in terms of the three 'R's before they are let loose on tvs and computers. With the current state of British education, i certainly don't trust their schools to teach these things properly.

Well, it says funding will continue, but that it will change after April. I think I'll reserve judgement until we see what the new version is to look like.

I notice from the linked BBC report that Bookstart began in 1992 (under a Tory government). I hadn't realised it had been going for so long.

I don't think anyone has the right to make the judgement that free books will be wasted on some households - we've got loads of books at home too but Bookstart gave me a kick up the jacksie to actually read more to the kids and look at the best books at different stages.

If these packs start a love of books in more kids that's doing immeasurable good. My kids have loved the packs they've received - they are a precious gift they feel is just for them! Stopping this feels like such proof, if proof be needed, that we are not in safe hands!

Justin: it's reported by Beeb today that it's not stopping. You may be wrried about the safety of hands at the helm f or many reasons, but this is one you can drop (or at least suspend) from the list.

I thought the Bookstart thing was a classic Labour waste of money thing. But then, I read, I have books in my house (most of them from charity shops) and so my kids have access to literature. Not sure how many kids have got reading via Bookstart...the bags are useful for my shopping though.

donkeyderby: I've just read the Beeb link again, and I think you're right. It began in 1992, but only received Govt funding from 2004 (England only, different funding under devolved govts). So for two-thirds of its existence it has been self-supporting. So perhaps a transition period to return it to the status quo ante wouldn't be such a big thing after all.

Patronising reply. Read my message carefully - if you show children that books are to be valued, if you make them accessible (btw my local library is being closed due to cutbacks - and yes it is well used) ... Bookstart is imaginative - it also includes staff coming to our locality and doing reading sessions that brings the community together! Yes I can get books out from the library but i like my child to mix with others, see adults enjoying and sharing books and I also like the idea of having a few free books for my child to read, keep - why should she have second hand? Oh I know - let's leave all the new books for the bankers, monied classes. You need to wake up - hope you don't have kids - I pity them for your paucity of imagination

' What about encouraging parents to read with their kids? Has the scheme had any effect there?'

I can only speak from personal experience but the families who read with their child probably already own a copy of the books given by bookstart whereas the parents who don't read to or with their child don't even look at the books when the children proudly take them home. Sorry good intentions but missing the mark.

Surely this is the point where a philanthropist steps in?

Are people not realising there is no money left? What with the banks and the previous government our children's children are going to be burning books for fuel they'll be that poor having to pay it all back.

Something has to give.

And as I said, there are plenty of people with ample amounts of money who could fund this if it is important enough.

I bought books from charity shops and take my dts to the library so it is simple enough to buy inexpensive or borrow books. Funny I was a bookworm without this thanks to the mobile library.

When they start cutting libraries that is when to make a fuss.

"When they start cutting libraries that is when to make a fuss."

I agree.

I had loads of books as a kid and very rarely did I have a brand new one. I can't see that it makes a difference, the favourites were still much loved and it's the time spent enjoying them together that counts for littl'uns. You can get childrens' books for pennies from charity shops, car boot sales, school fetes, ebay, jumble sales, hand me downs from friends and relatives, plus the library of course. It's easy and doesn't cost millions of pounds we haven't got. I doubt even the poorest family can't get hold of a few books if they actually want to.

And if you still think a few random books are going to transform lazy parents into attentive ones, how do you justify the cost of giving everyone a stupid bag?

Altv, I find your views quite insulting actually. My dd could read by the age of 3 (well before she was exposed to dubious school 'teaching' methods) and even ds who is at a special school and has severe learning difficulties can read. I don't think I need to 'wake up' just because I think that Bookstart is yet another example of throwing money at a problem without bothering to find the root cause of it.