Commenting on new research from the National Literacy Trust, which found that only around a quarter of children in the UK enjoy writing in their spare time, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “A love of writing can not only have benefits for children’s wellbeing and creativity, as this research shows, it can also help them in their learning.

“In its current form, unfortunately the curriculum does little to encourage this. The government’s curriculum and assessment review has heard how children are having to spend too much time learning to meet assessment criteria when it comes to writing.

“This echoes what we have heard from school leaders, who have told us how the Key Stage 2 writing framework focuses too narrowly on the technical aspects of writing at the expense of flair and imagination.

“There are of course strong links between reading and writing, but research has also shown that children are reading less, and again, the overcrowded primary curriculum is not helping, with time for children to read for pleasure having been increasingly squeezed out.

“The curriculum review is an opportunity to put these things right and support children with the literacy skills needed to navigate life and make connections between learning in the classroom and life outside it.”