In June 2007 NFER ran a reading survey questionnaire to determine current attitudes to reading. The questionnaire was completed by year 4 and year 6 children (aged about nine and 11 respectively) in a nationally representative sample of 61 schools. This questionnaire was previously run in June 2003. The survey provides unique evidence of attitudinal change.

Key findings

• reading enjoyment and confidence have not declined since 2003
• comics were reported as being more popular than stories, poems, and information books
• enjoyment of reading poems declined significantly.

Download the research summary here

Sainsbury, M. and Clarkson, R. (2008). Attitudes to Reading at Ages Nine and Eleven: Full Report. Slough: NFER.

Clarkson, R. and Betts, H. (2008). Attitudes to Reading at Ages Nine and Eleven: Research Summary. Slough: NFER.