Get Ready for the National Year of Reading 2026

As the highly anticipated National Year of Reading in 2026 approaches, excitement and anticipation are building across the UK’s publishing and education sectors. What are the key challenges and opportunities that it holds and what can you do to support it?

Join a distinguished panel featuring leading voices from schools, the broader education sector, and children’s publishing. They will share their insights on how this national initiative has the potential to reshape reading habits and industry practices.

This online event offers a crucial opportunity to delve into the landscape for the year ahead, exploring both the hurdles to overcome and the possibilities it presents. If you are passionate about the power of reading and learning to enhance lives, and need to figure out how you can contribute, register now.

Speakers include:

Chair: Laura Summers, Director and Co-founder of BookMachine Creative Agency and school governor

Matthew Apsley, Headteacher, Henry Cavendish Primary School, London Borough of Lambeth

Emily Guille-Marrett, Chief Education Officer: Product & Publishing, Pickatale – read, listen and learn!

Emma Pritchard, Head of World Book Day campaign

Sanjee De Silva, Publisher at Sweet Cherry Publishing

Can’t make the event date? Catch the recording within 2 weeks of the event start date on the BookMachine Campus membership platform. Sign up after the event here to access!