Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Jasmine Norden

REVEALED: Parents warned children with no reading experience start school as second class citizens | Rare Historical Photos

Parents have been urged to read to their children before they start school - (Getty/iStock)

Children who arrive at school without having been read to at home are starting their education as "second-class citizens", the children’s laureate has warned.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce, a celebrated children’s author and screenwriter, told headteachers at the Association of School and College Leaders’ (ASCL) annual conference that nearly half of all children are beginning school at a "massive disadvantage" due to this lack of early exposure to books.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.