A READING charity has identified the city of Bradford as being an area that needs support due “entrenched” literacy problems.

The National Literacy Trust has just released a map of “literacy vulnerability” highlighting which areas of the country need the most support to tackle poor reading skills in all age groups.

The survey, conducted with Experian, reveals that out of 533 constituencies across the UK, Bradford East ranks as 36th most vulnerable. Bradford South is 43rd, and Bradford West 69th, meaning all three of the city’s constituencies fall in the “top” 15 per cent of need.

Keighley is 203rd, Shipley 333rd and Batley and Spen 126th.

The area deemed most in need of support is Middlesbrough, followed by Barking and Hackney. Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough is 5th and Leeds Central comes 13th.

Rather than being just based on academic results, the survey looked at income and employment levels as well as education performance.

The trust, which has run a literacy hub in Bradford since 2014, says it will now use the data to decide how best to focus its efforts.

It already organised numerous events and programmes to try and boost reading in areas of the city, especially among children. These include pushing for dads to read to their children more, and work in the district’s schools.

Jason Vit, Literacy Hubs Manager at the Trust, said: “We work in areas across the UK like Bradford where literacy problems are entrenched, intergenerational and are having a serious impact on people’s lives.

“Tackling deep-rooted literacy issues takes time and depends on innovative partnerships between all parts of the community – including local authorities, libraries, sporting and cultural organisations, faith and voluntary community groups, as well as businesses and health and education organisations.

“Our work has already had a significant impact since we began working in Bradford in 2014, increasing early years development scores and encouraging 53 per cent of Bradford’s young people aged 8-16 to write daily outside of school.

“We’ll use this data to shape our work in Bradford going forwards, focusing on areas within Bradford that need literacy support the most.”

Imran Hussain, Bradford East MP, said a lack of government funding in important areas hampered efforts to improve literacy in his constituency. He said: “I find this report extremely concerning as low levels of literacy will have a hugely damaging impact on the education, future employment and life chances of our children.”

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