The Pobble blog

In classrooms across the UK, a troubling trend has emerged: 28% of children are now leaving primary school without meeting expected writing standards—a rise from pre-pandemic figures. This crisis goes beyond just academic performance; it impacts students' confidence, future opportunities, and ultimately, society as a whole. Research from the World Literacy Foundation shows that literacy deficits cost the global economy over $1.2 trillion annually. As a former school leader and experienced teacher, I have seen firsthand how writing—a critical skill—can feel impossible to teach effectively given the pressures faced by educators today.

When it comes time for writing lessons, it is often the moment the classroom shifts: the once eager faces turn weary, and behaviour issues start. Children stare at blank pages, muttering the all-too-familiar phrase, "I don't know what to write." Teachers, despite their best efforts, see students who struggle to move beyond that initial spark of effort, whose writing lacks flow, or who lose stamina halfway through a piece. It’s not a matter of teachers not trying—it’s that the system is failing to provide the right kind of support for both teachers and students to succeed.

The problem: Why writing standards are deteriorating
There are many reasons why writing standards have deteriorated over recent years. The effects of lockdowns and the rise of screen-based activities have left children with shorter attention spans and less ability to concentrate on challenging tasks like writing. But it goes deeper than that. Writing is a skill that requires sustained focus, creativity, and stamina. It demands vulnerability from children—to put their thoughts on paper, to imagine, and to express themselves authentically. It is also a skill that requires practice—daily, consistent practice—which, for many children, has become increasingly rare.

Another contributing factor is the perception of writing itself. Unlike reading, which is often immersive and rewarding from the outset, writing is laborious. It is a process of creating something from nothing—and without the right inspiration or support, it can feel meaningless to children. As teachers, we hear it all the time: "Writing is boring," "I don't know what to write," "Why do we have to do this?" When faced with a classroom full of reluctant writers, it's difficult to blame them. Too often, writing tasks are framed as chores, rather than opportunities for creativity or exploration.

The challenges teachers face
The burden on teachers is immense. Planning engaging writing lessons that will hold students' attention and encourage them to produce their best work takes time—a lot of time. Too many teachers are spending their evenings and weekends preparing lessons, searching for that elusive spark that will ignite their students’ imaginations. I have spoken with countless teachers who are fed up with hearing "I don't know what to write" in every writing lesson, or who struggle to keep their class writing beyond those initial sentences. Writing stamina—the ability to sustain writing over time—is a significant barrier for many students. Teachers tell me about children who give up easily, who lack the resilience to persevere, and who don’t see the point in putting pen to paper.

This lack of stamina isn’t just about physical endurance; it’s about mental endurance too. Writing requires deep thinking, imagination, and a willingness to keep going even when it feels difficult. But for many students, this is precisely where they falter. They lack the vocabulary to express their ideas fully, or they find that the initial excitement quickly fades, leaving them stuck. As teachers, we want to make writing exciting. We want to see our students pushing themselves, exploring language, and feeling proud of what they’ve created. But without the right resources, it feels like an uphill battle.

The emotional toll
The emotional toll of teaching writing is often overlooked. Teachers want to inspire their students; they want to help them find their voice and share their stories. But the reality of overloaded curriculums, behaviour management, and constant time constraints makes it incredibly challenging to deliver the kinds of lessons that truly engage. "I don’t feel like I have a work-life balance" is something I hear far too often from teachers. They feel like they are being asked to do the impossible—to inspire, to plan, to mark, and to meet the needs of every child, all while managing their own wellbeing.

It’s no wonder that writing has become an area of growing concern. When the passion for teaching writing is eroded by exhaustion and frustration, it’s the children who suffer. They miss out on opportunities to explore language, develop their creativity, and experience the joy that comes from expressing themselves fully. Writing should be about discovery—finding new words, new ideas, and new ways to tell a story. But for too many children, it has become a mundane task, and for too many teachers, it has become yet another box to tick.

How we can change this
If we want to address the literacy crisis, we need to rethink how we teach writing. We need to make it accessible, engaging, and meaningful. This means providing teachers with the right resources—tools that are easy to use, that save time, and that truly inspire students. It means recognising that writing is not just an academic skill; it’s a form of self-expression, a way for children to process their thoughts and emotions, and a critical foundation for their future success.

One simple but powerful approach is to provide daily writing prompts that are designed to spark creativity without requiring hours of preparation. By giving teachers a starting point—a captivating image, an interesting scenario, a thought-provoking question—we can help them get past the initial hurdle of "I don’t know what to write." We can help students build stamina for writing by making it a habit, showing them that writing is not something to fear or avoid, but something to embrace.

Pobble: Leading the movement to inspire young writers 
This is not a problem that any one teacher, school, or organisation can solve alone. It’s going to take a collective effort—a community of educators, parents, policymakers, and leaders all working together to ensure that writing is given the attention it deserves. At Pobble, we are leading this movement. Founded by teachers, for teachers, our mission is to inspire young writers everywhere by making writing engaging and accessible. With our award-winning platform, we provide free daily writing prompts that help teachers bring creativity into their classrooms without adding to their already heavy workload. Each week, Pobble reaches up to one million children, giving them the opportunity to explore their creativity and develop the critical skill of writing.

Pobble’s impact is backed by research conducted in partnership with UCL’s Educate programme, which found that teachers saved 39% of their planning time and pupils showed significant improvements in writing ability and enjoyment. We believe that by supporting teachers and making writing a joyful, daily habit, we can transform the future of writing education.

Throughout my work to inspire young writers, I am honoured to have been recognised by BESA as an inspirational leader in education. Our partnerships with organisations like the BBC have amplified our impact, allowing us to reach even more teachers and students. Pobble isn’t just a small part of the solution—we are at the forefront of the effort to tackle the literacy crisis, providing tangible, effective tools that make a real difference. We believe that by supporting teachers and making writing a joyful, daily habit, we can transform the future of writing education.

The challenges facing writing education today are significant, but they are not insurmountable. By fostering a love for writing early on, by supporting teachers with resources that save time and inspire, and by making writing a daily habit, we can address the literacy crisis in small but powerful ways—one student at a time. The latest SATs outcomes show us just how critical this issue is—28% of children are not meeting the expected writing standards. This is a call to action. We invite educators, parents, and policymakers to join us in our mission to inspire the next generation of thinkers, creators, and storytellers. Together, we can create a future where all children leave primary school with the skills and confidence they need to succeed.

About the author:

Simon Blower is an award-winning educational leader and the co-founder of Pobble. With over 16 years of experience as a primary school leader in North Yorkshire, England, Simon saw first-hand the challenges teachers face in motivating students to write. Driven by his passion for making writing accessible and enjoyable, Simon created tools and resources that transformed writing outcomes in his own classroom. These successes sparked the idea for Pobble—a platform that now reaches millions of students globally, helping children find their voice and supporting teachers with engaging, easy-to-use resources.

BESA has recognised Simon for his inspirational leadership in education, and his work with Pobble has garnered partnerships with leading organisations such as the BBC. Today, Simon works with schools worldwide, witnessing the powerful impact of Pobble on both pupils and educators. His mission is simple but ambitious: to make every child feel confident and inspired when they pick up a pencil, and to ensure that teachers everywhere have the support they need to nurture the next generation of writers.