THE EFFECT OF LONG SUMMER HOLIDAYS ON CHILDREN'S LITERACY

The summer holiday was used as a device for holding steady the school‐based variable in order to investigate a possible connection between pupils’ home/neighbourhood backgrounds and their ability to retain reading skills.

A small pilot scheme using a language‐based battery of tests to assess a small number of children (N = 30) from disparate backgrounds yielded encouragingly significant results: a survey was therefore carried out with 83 municipally‐based children, and 143 children from owner‐occupied property. Analysis of results indicated a strong correlation between background and retention of reading ability; it also yielded interesting comment on the effect of absence from school upon the attainment of children in different age‐groups and within different bands of ability (IQ).