Free Summer Reading with First News

Get a free digital subscription to First News for every pupil in your school!

What is Summer Reading?

The First News Summer Reading Scheme is a free initiative for all pupils of subscribing schools. It gives them full digital access to our award-winning children’s newspaper, games and puzzles via the First News app throughout the summer holidays. The scheme helps children stay curious, informed and reading while school is out – supporting families and helping schools reduce summer reading loss with trusted, age-appropriate news and engaging activities.

Why does it make a difference?

Reading can drop off significantly during the summer holidays – particularly for children without easy access to books.

1 in 10 children say they have no book at home*
Just 1 in 3 (34.6%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said that they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2024. Reading enjoyment levels have decreased by 8.8 percentage points over the past year alone**
In a poll of over 5,000 First News readers, 71% told us they enjoy reading for pleasure.

That’s why we’re proud to support schools and families by providing free, trusted news and engaging content all summer.

What’s included?

Every pupil will receive an 8 week full digital subscription to First News, the UK’s award-winning children’s newspaper from 14 July to 5 September 2025:

Weekly 28-page digital newspaper
Daily news stories available to read or listen to
Access to the FYI video news show (in partnership with Sky Kids)
Weekly news quizzes
Puzzles and word games (Wordie, Crosswords, Sudoku, and more)
Interactive polls and competitions
Full searchable access to the First News archive

How can I get involved?

First News subscribing schools

You should receive an email in June 2025 with opt-in details. Alternatively, you can opt-in via the My Account area and access your unique shareable link for parents to sign up. If you don’t receive any emails or have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].

Non-subscribing schools

You can still take part. Simply subscribe to any First News school package, and we’ll be in touch with everything you need to get started.

For parents and guardians

If your child’s school has joined the Summer Reading Scheme, they will send access details directly to you via their newsletter or parent communication platform.

If you’re unsure whether your school is participating, feel free to direct them to this page.