Children in disadvantaged schools are starting Reception with bigger language and reading gaps, research finds

New research finds teachers are increasingly concerned about early language skills, parental support and children’s engagement with reading.

Six year old boy reads during class.

Getty/Jonathan Kirn

Published: September 2, 2026 at 4:56 PM

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Three years after Bookmark Reading Charity last surveyed primary teachers, new research suggests concerns around children’s early language skills and reading engagement are growing, particularly in schools serving disadvantaged communities.

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The research, carried out by Teacher Tapp for Bookmark Reading Charity, surveyed 3,394 primary school teachers in England in July 2026. It found a significant gap between the challenges reported by teachers in the most deprived and most affluent schools.

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Early language skills are a major concern for teachers

Poor early language skills were identified as a barrier to improving literacy by 83% of teachers in the most deprived schools, compared with 39% in the most affluent schools.

That 44 percentage-point gap has widened slightly since 2023. In the most deprived schools, the figure has risen from 79%, while in the most affluent schools it has increased from 34%.

Overall, 60% of primary teachers said poor early language skills were a barrier to improving literacy, up from 55% in 2023.

Bookmark also says its own analysis of children entering Reception at its partner schools found that 80% had significant gaps in early language skills, such as expressing themselves and understanding simple questions.

For parents, the findings highlight how important everyday conversations, storytelling and sharing books can be in helping children build the language skills they need for starting school.

Teachers are also concerned about reading at home

The survey found that parental support remains another significant barrier, with a particularly large difference between schools serving disadvantaged and affluent communities.

In the most deprived schools, 85% of teachers identified a lack of parental support as a barrier, compared with 60% in the most affluent schools.

Frankie Smith, interim CEO of Bookmark Reading Charity, says there are many reasons why parents and carers may find it difficult to support reading at home.

There can be a multitude of reasons why parents and carers are unable to support children’s reading at home, such as English as an additional language (EAL), work or financial constraints.

Frankie Smith, interim CEO of Bookmark Reading Charity

The research also found that 69% of teachers in the most deprived schools saw a lack of engagement with reading as a barrier, compared with 41% in the most affluent schools.

Across all primary schools surveyed, 57% of teachers identified reading engagement as a barrier, up from 50% in 2023.

What does this mean for children starting school?

Joanne Haine, Deputy Head at Baring Primary School, one of Bookmark's partner schools, says teachers are seeing children arrive at Reception with fewer opportunities to develop their vocabulary and confidence around books.

She says: "We're increasingly seeing children arrive at school with more limited vocabulary, less confidence communicating and fewer opportunities to engage with books before they start Reception. That has a direct impact on how quickly children can access early reading and develop comprehension skills."

Haine adds that parents may want to support their children but lack the confidence or skills to know where to start.

"Most parents want the best for their children and want them to do well but might not have the skills or confidence to support them. This is a societal problem, we need to work with families from an early age to demystify sharing stories. Interventions which support families to create positive reading experiences at home can – and do - make a difference."

Teachers say literacy challenges are not evenly distributed

Only 3% of teachers said there were no barriers to improving literacy in their school, down from 5% in 2023.

Karen Wespieser, CEO of Teacher Tapp, says the consistency of the findings over time is "striking."

"Teachers continue to identify early language development as a fundamental challenge, and the concerns are substantially higher in schools serving disadvantaged communities," she says.

She adds: "The data suggests that while literacy remains a national priority, the barriers teachers face are not evenly distributed."

Bookmark says its Story Starter Programme is one way it supports schools, providing resources including finger puppets, storytelling cards and stationery, as well as books and guidance for parents on sharing stories with children.

The charity also runs a range of other literacy programmes, including one-to-one reading support and book distribution.

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For families, sharing stories, talking about books and making time for children to talk and listen can all form part of building early language and reading confidence, whether a child is already reading independently or is just getting started.

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