Nearly one in five parents say their children find standard school books “hard to see”

Thousands of children across the UK are struggling to read standard text school books according to a new poll from The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). RNIB is calling for every school to adopt Bookshare – a free on-line hub of over 1.2 million accessible texts in formats like audio, ePub, electronic braille and digital PDFs.

A new YouGov poll commissioned by RNIB reveals that almost one in five (18.5%) of UK parents say their child has struggled to read school books because of the way the text was printed.

Whether the text is too small, too crowded, or not available in audio or digital form, these challenges don’t just affect children with print disabilities like dyslexia or a vision impairment. They can impact any child who processes information differently, has physical or sensory needs, or simply struggles with standard formats. Without accessible materials, children risk falling behind and missing their full potential.

“Reading should be the great enabler - not the thing that holds a child back,” said Anna Tylor, Chair of RNIB and founder of Bookshare - a free, accessible reading and resource on-line hub. “If you can’t see the words clearly or access them in a format that works for you, you simply can’t do the learning. That affects every aspect of a child’s development and leads to poor educational outcomes and in many cases long-term unemployment and higher welfare costs.

“We have brilliant feedback from students and teachers and I’ve met many people who say without Bookshare, they wouldn’t be working now and wouldn’t have gone on to live rich and fulfilling lives. Everyone sees the world differently - and children need books in formats that match their view."

In the UK, it’s estimated one in 10 children may have dyslexia and two in every 1,000 children live with vision impairment. For these pupils, the way books are presented can make or break their education.

RNIB Bookshare offers more than 1.2 million textbooks, revision guides and novels in accessible formats, including ePub, audio, electronic braille and digital PDFs.

Yet right now, only 45% of schools are registered with RNIB Bookshare and many aren’t making full use of it.

Onyx Peynado, English teacher, Wolverhampton said: “I use Bookshare every day in my classroom and beyond. It gives me the flexibility to meet each student’s needs, whether that’s audio, a larger print using ePub / digital PDFs or electronic braille. Most importantly, it gives my pupils independence - they can read in their own way, in their own time.”

“RNIB Bookshare is free, trusted by thousands of schools and backed by major publishers,” said Anna Tylor. “Every school supporting a child with dyslexia or vision impairment should be using it.”

Nathaniel Jessop, Teaching Assistant, at Tapton School in Sheffield said: “It opens up a whole new world for our students. They can download any book instantly and read it in a way that works for them. It means students can keep pace with their classmates. That independence is game-changing.”

Children with vision impairment already face a serious attainment gap – meaning they are more likely to fall behind their classmates at every stage of school: 32% in early years, 29% at Key Stage 2 and 21% at GCSE (RNIB, 2024). When pupils can’t access schoolwork in a format they can read, the consequences go beyond the classroom. It knocks their confidence, isolates them from their peers and narrows their future choices.

RNIB is calling for urgent action:

• Schools, colleges and universities – check you’re signed up and using RNIB Bookshare, www.rnibbookshare.org/sign-up
• Leadership teams in education establishments – make accessible formats the norm
• Parents and carers – ask your child’s school what support they offer
• Young people – ask your school, college or university what support they offer

Every child deserves an equal chance to learn. No one should be left behind.

All media enquiries including interview requests to 0207 391 2223 or [email protected]. For urgent enquiries out-of-hours, please call 07968 482812.

YouGov online poll conducted on behalf of RNIB - Sample size was 4,272 adults, of which 1,094 were parents of children under 18. Poll conducted 27–29 August 2025. Figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Question asked: “Has your child ever struggled to read at school because of the way the text was printed? (e.g. the font size or type, layout, or how it was presented).”

Regional data – Parents who say their child find standard school books “hard to see”:

London – 20% (1 in 5)

Wales – Unweighted base size too low for reporting

Scotland – 21% (over 1 in 5)

North East - Unweighted base size too low for reporting

North West – 22% (more than 1 in 5)

East Midlands – 24% (almost 1 in 4)

West Midlands – 13 % (1 in 8)

East of England – 12% (Just over 1 in 10)

South East – 15% (around 1 in 7)

South West – 23% (nearly 1 in 4)

Case studies available on request

About RNIB

We are the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB).

Every six minutes, someone in the UK begins to lose their sight. RNIB is taking a stand against exclusion, inequality and isolation to create a world without barriers where people with sight loss can lead full lives. A different world where society values blind and partially sighted people not for the disabilities they’ve overcome, but for the people they are.

RNIB. See differently.

Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk