The government’s recent announcement that "arts GCSEs will be given equal status with humanities and languages", as well as its assurance that there will be curriculum changes to "strengthen children’s reading" is very welcome – but doesn’t go far enough.

The writers and publishing staff of the future are at school right now. For the health and stability of our industry (and I’d argue society as a whole), in the coming decades we need all children to be inspired by reading and writing, value the place of books in society and see the arts as a valid career option. 

Back in the 1990s, when I left what would probably have been called back then a bog-standard comprehensive to study for a degree in English Literature, my choice was seen as a solid one that would stand a young person in good stead for the graduate jobs market. This is no longer the case, leading many students to turn their backs on Key Stage 5 English education.

In the early 2010s, the number of people taking A-level English Literature or Language reached its peak at nearly 90,000. Since then, numbers have plummeted: in 2025 it was 58,000. Caused by subsequent governments’ emphasis on STEM subjects and students’ concern about the cost of studying for a degree with no clear profession at the end of it, the fall in A-level English takers has had a knock-on effect on demand for English degrees at university. Canterbury Christ Church University and Sheffield Hallam University, for example, are two institutions that have closed their English departments. 

Kemi Badenoch, who studied computer systems engineering then law, recently included English in her list of degree courses she considers a rip-off. It’s hugely concerning that the Leader of the Opposition thinks that studying literature has no value. Without young people trained in a love of English and books to join it, what hope is there for the health of the publishing industry, never mind for the personal benefits of reading for pleasure?

I note that Oxford and Cambridge Universities’ English departments are still thriving, and no doubt Badenoch wouldn’t say an Oxbridge English degree isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Prestige still reigns; it’s local, poorer prospective students and those who haven’t achieved top grades who will suffer from university English course closures.

I recently discussed degrees with my nephew, who is a recent graduate in economics and now works in finance. He agreed with my argument that English should be recognised as a valuable study choice, but said that for students today who are paying the best part of £10,000 each year for the privilege of attending university (as opposed to my era who didn’t pay tuition fees), they’d be mad not to study a subject that qualifies them for a specific job at the end of it. If you don’t want to be an English teacher, then what’s the point in spending all that money for a degree in English literature? 

It’s hugely concerning that the Leader of the Opposition thinks that studying literature has no value

Yet without the encouragement I had to study English at school and degree level, particularly from a teacher who championed my creative writing and said it could be a future career for me, I doubt I would have become a published author. Yes, authors don’t have to be English graduates, but we do need to have read widely, be proficient in spelling and grammar, and love books. Quite frankly, I’d have made a rubbish accountant or scientist because those professions are not where my talents lie.

As a country, we punch above our weight when it comes to book exports. Politicians shouldn’t forget the Publishing Association’s 2023 research findings that the publishing industry is worth a whopping £11bn to the UK economy. Who is going to continue bringing the money in if we don’t inspire and train a literate, book-loving workforce? Will we see writers and publishing executives coming from a small demographic of well-to-do individuals who can afford to study English at A-level and degree level as opposed to studying law, chemistry or engineering that would lead directly to a job? Our output would be all the poorer for it.

What we need is a grass-roots approach to valuing the arts and literature in the UK led by the government. Campaign for the Arts reports that Westminster ministers are planning to spend "well over a third less per citizen" on Culture, Media and Sport by 2029 compared with 2010. For society to value literature, the government must put its money where its mouth is and champion the arts.

The Department of Education’s proposed boost to creative subjects taken at GCSE is a start, but this needs to extend to A-level and include an assessment of whether the English curriculum leaves room to inspire creativity or stifles it. At degree level the government should ensure there are English courses at universities in all geographical areas for those who want to study the subject. For people who don’t want to go down the university route, let’s increase the number of apprenticeship places in publishing.

How about going even further – the UK could create a scheme akin to Ireland’s Basic Income for the Arts (BIA)? Now that really would show that the UK values its creators and inspire today’s children to consider a career in literature. 

In September this year, parliamentarians gathered at the Publishers Association annual reception to celebrate the "economic, cultural and social impact of UK publishing". A pat on the back is all very well, but what’s really needed is for the government to put its hand in its pocket, invest in the creative sector and arts education, and encourage in children a love of reading for pleasure if it wants the UK to continue as a world leader in literature.