"Spending budget on books gets best results"

Times Educational Supplement, June 2006

"Buying books has more effect on the English, Maths and Science test results of 11-year olds than money spent on technology – based on a study of 6,000 schools by Ofsted and Liverpool John Moores University.

The study shows that the average test scores for Key Stage 2 pupils in schools which spent £100 per pupil on books rose by 1.5%.

Steve Hurd, from the Open University, who led the research, said he had expected the amount spent on books would have no effect on test results. But the research team concluded that the average test score across English, Maths and Science would rise from 27.5 to 27.9 in schools which spent £100 per pupil on books. The equivalent spending on technology (whiteboards, computers and software) would have a smaller effect. “It is surprising that books matter,” said Mr Hurd. “It seems a small effect but it is significant.”

However, two-thirds of primaries said they were not spending sufficiently enough on books – a fact that the study concludes that low levels of book spending could jeopardise schools performance in the Literacy Strategy. There is good evidence that literacy and general primary attainment levels could be raised even further by ensuring that complementary book resources are available, and being used, to support independent reading and learning."