School Libraries: Finance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what additional (a) funding and (b) support is being provided to help schools improve library facilities.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell
School libraries complement public libraries in giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school.
It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian, and we give headteachers autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.
The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.
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