In the messy political climate recently, it seems the Curriculum has quickly become overloaded with new drives and programmes and strategies on an almost weekly basis and it's hard not to simply throw your hands in the air and complain about how you're supposed to keep up - not to mention how on earth you're supposed to fit everything that seems to be recommended into the short school day.

Personally, I think it's important – no, essential – to prioritise here and focus in on one of the fundamental pillars of all education: Reading. If life is a world of treasures waiting to be found and opened, then Reading is surely the map that finds them and the key that unlocks all of them?

In my opinion, start reading when they're born; read to them and with them and have them read back to you. The younger children are, the more able they are to soak up information and learn new things quickly and it only diminishes as they grow older.

Reading simply has to top the list of skills that they need to learn in school and in life. It develops their intelligence, their creativity, their imagination, their knowledge of the world around them as well as their knowledge of themselves. Not only that, but it has to be the single biggest hurdle to achieving their aspirations later on in life. And, don't forget, it's fun!

For a quick read of someone who feels the same way as I do and knows what they're talking about (and if you haven't heard of him, then you NEED to because he's brilliant!), have a look at this link to an article by Michael Morpurgo:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article5529708.ece

If you aren't completely convinced, here are some other sites that give you some starting points for more information and ideas.:

http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/

http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/parents/your_involvement/

Happy reading!