Resources

Browse our UK and Ireland directory of children’s authors, poets and illustrators for school visits, with trusted recommendations, virtual options, and step-by-step advice for teachers and writers.

Turn the National Year of Reading 2026 into access with a classroom library competition: set budget, pupil-led stock, simple borrowing, reading routines, and a six-week rollout with safeguarding checks.

Children’s bookshops in the UK and Ireland – browse our list of independent bookshops and specialist children’s bookshops throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland to visit with your children, class, school or teaching colleagues.

Download free adaptable school policy templates covering reading, English, literacy, libraries, EAL, homework, oracy, writing, AI use and more to support consistent practice and effective school leadership.

Book schemes, book fairs, book clubs and library packs for primary and secondary schools in the UK. Ideal for World Book Day planning and developing whole-school literacy drives and reading for pleasure.

Our up to date list of children’s book publishers in the UK covering baby & toddler picture books, 5-7, early chapter books for 7-9 year olds, middle-grade novels for 9-12 year olds, 12-16 teen young adult fiction, poetry, nonfiction, textbooks, and study guides.

Skip soap and cheap wine! These affordable classroom essentials are the gifts teachers really want: display tools, label makers, visualisers, timers, storage and other kit that saves time.

Explore online and in-person librarian courses that turn school libraries into hubs for reading, information literacy and AI-ready digital skills, while giving leaders solid CPD evidence for inspections.

Why topic teaching is untenable in an AI-rich, inspection-heavy system, how it weakens subject progression and increases inspection risk; and how to replace it with a subject-first, library-rich, AI-aware curriculum and research model.

Children’s literature blogs are a great way to keep track of the latest trends, releases and recommendations in children’s literature – including picture books, short chapter books, middle-grade fiction, school library non-fiction and YA novels.

Following established annual children’s literature awards, medals and prizes is a good way to decide which books to pick when purchasing new stock for your school library, or which new books to buy for your children.

Nessy provides a structured, enjoyable learning experience that supports children of all abilities. Its alignment with the Science of Reading ensures that children receive the best possible instruction, setting them on a path to literacy success.

Great resources and online courses for primary and secondary home learning – ideal for homework, time away from school, or revision. This list of E-learning activities is suitable for primary aged children and secondary and sixth form teens and young adults in the UK.

We’re always on the lookout for enthusiastic and experienced teachers, ex-teachers, home-educators, librarians, education academic, children’s authors and education writers to join our merry band of book and resource reviewers.

Free reading resources to download, share, send home to parents, use in the classroom and use on school websites – including book list PDFs, reading records, reading challenges, posters, wallpapers & more.

EmpathyLab, the University of Sussex, and St Matthew’s Research School are hosting a conference addressing the need for empathy education. Educating for Empathy – the reading factor conference will explore how literature plays a role in nurturing empathy.

Calibre Audio is a UK charity that lends audiobooks to children who have a print disability. These include conditions such as visual impairment, dyslexia, autism, ADHD, physical disabilities, and other challenges that make it hard to read printed text.

How to read with your child at home; a guide for parents, including advice on choosing books, when to read with your child, questions to ask and how to praise your child’s reading.

How to make timetabled reading time in schools exciting – including ideas to encourage and develop a lasting reading for pleasure culture in your classrooms, Key Stages and school.

By aligning library provision and reading initiatives with British values, SMSC, equality, and careers education, schools set themselves up to not only impress inspectors but, more importantly, to enrich the lives of their pupils.

Wordshark Online is an interactive tool that helps students improve their reading and spelling skills. It focuses particularly on students with special educational needs (SEN) such as dyslexia.

A resource for new children’s and YA authors. Discover the importance of a children’s book publicist & how they can propel your book into the spotlight for its target audience.

Trying to find the perfect children’s bookcase or bookshelf can be a minefield with children’s books coming in all shapes, sizes, and weights. We’ve put together a selection of kid’s bookshelves, bookends & bookcases for storing all your picture books, stories, and kid’s magazines.

At under £40 per year, Book Collector is much more affordable than dedicated school library software. You won’t need a trained librarian to operate it and books can be added by scanning the barcode that’s already on the back cover of each book.

The pivot towards home learning during the global pandemic saw a proliferation in the amount of copyright infringement by teachers copying content onto school websites. Perhaps only now are we starting to see the impact.

Take It As Read is School Reading List’s free children’s and teen book recommendation service for teachers, parents/guardians and librarians in the UK. Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll get back to you – Take It As Read!

Fabula Deck for Kids offers children a fresh way to develop their imagination and storytelling skills. Developed by the independent publisher Sefirot, Fabula Deck for Kids uses a deck of 34 interactive cards aimed at children aged six and above.

Are you looking to up-skill during downtime? Are you a literacy or English teacher in need of CPD evidence for your next appraisal? Here’s our regularly updated list of online training, remote courses, distance learning research-based CPD and internet-based inset for teachers.

Literacy Hive is an online platform designed to make it easier for teachers to discover literacy resources. It aims to be a one-stop support for literacy, helping to reduce the amount of time educators spend searching the web.

Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) offers a comprehensive program for typing, reading, and spelling, suitable for individuals and families, including those with dyslexia.

Blue Light Card is now available for teachers! The discount service traditionally offered to emergency workers, NHS staff, and the armed forces, is now available to teachers across the UK.

Epic Escapes at-home escape room kits offer a screen-free entertainment option for your teens this summer. These innovative kits aim to engage teens with adventure, problem-solving, and social interaction – offering a break from digital devices over the holiday period.

Families across the UK can save on leisure activities through Kids Pass, a digital membership providing discounts at cinemas, attractions, and restaurants. Launched in 2014, Kids Pass has helped over one million members save money.

The Poetry By Heart competition, spearheaded by former Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion and educator Dr. Julie Blake, invites pupils across England to engage with poetry in a fresh, memorable way.

First News has introduced a wealth of free educational resources for schools across the UK, aimed at enhancing literacy through engaging, news-based content. Developed by experts, these tools support teachers in addressing challenging topics.

Find The Quote! We’ve hidden a book quote somewhere on our website. If you can find it, you could win a bookshop gift voucher! Read more for full details, terms and conditions and entry instructions.

Recommend books for our reading lists! Send in your favourite titles from beloved classics to new titles that reflect the realities of our diverse world.

Promoting your new children’s book is hard! Here are some useful tips from the School Reading List team, including practical advice on using word of mouth and social media, getting your book into schools, and how we can help.