Today is World Book Day. This might not mean much for some but for others it is a big deal. Owning a book and being able to read it is a big deal.
Here’s some statistics to mull over:
* 1 in 8 disadvantaged children in the UK don’t own a single book.
* 4.1 million children in the UK live in poverty
* 1 in 5 children in England by the age of 11 cannot read
Illiteracy is a huge problem in the UK and a new documentary reveals the difficulties facing white working-class boys.
This is a child’s-eye-view of educational inequality. H is for Harry is a coming of age story about Harry, a charismatic 11-year old boy, who arrives at secondary school in suburban London unable to read or write. With the help of Sophie, his extremely dedicated teacher, can he overcome the illiteracy ingrained across generations of his family? Against the backdrop of a Britain riven with debates around class, identity and social mobility, the film follows Harry over two years as he fights not only to improve academically but also to believe in a different future for himself.
‘H is for Harry’ is being used as a film impact campaign and tool to strengthen the growing movement for recognition, education, research, and funding into educational disadvantage.