Ferdinand Doepel

Deputy Head Academic and Innovation

16 October 2025

Reading is in decline across the world. In the United States, more than half the population did not read a single book in the past year, and things are only slightly better this side of the Atlantic, with 40% of Brits stating the same to be true for them. As we are once again gearing up to host Wimbledon Bookfest here at Wimbledon High School, I wanted to take a brief moment to reflect on both the joy and value of reading.  

Reading is a deeply human act. As humans we have been reading for more than six thousand years. Over the course of this time, the human brain has developed its ability to decode words and symbols, which, in essence, is what reading boils down to. More importantly, through the act of reading, we are able to develop our own understanding of the world: first, by exploring and discovering the wisdom of the author; and later, by forming and developing our own mental models which help us make sense of the world. While people might still be reading a lot daily – whether that be daily news online, blogposts or social media – it is in snippets across tweets and snapchats rather than the focused reading of a physical book.  

The cognitive benefits of reading are considerably more significant when we focus for longer. Our brain is a real superpower, and its ability to form new neural connections is truly remarkable. The more we read, the better we become at reading. In addition, this fires up our brain, and this activation of the neuronal networks develops our brain’s capacity in areas far beyond reading. It is widely evidenced that both our comprehension and perception improve. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true; if we don’t read, we run the risk of atrophy in this area. 

To help you prevent this, here are four reasons to pick up a book this half term: 

• Reading develops our ability to both focus and concentrate. While you might have noted this anecdotally in the way in which our mobile phones reduce our attention span, it has also been shown on a societal level. High school students have reported increased difficulty when it comes to both thinking and concentrating over the last decade. I believe this ability to focus, which can be enhanced by reading physical books, will become an increasingly valuable asset in the future, with the rise of technology and potential distractions. 

• When focusing our attention on a book we activate our prefrontal cortex, where dopamine plays a critical part in the way it regulates our behaviour. This means we activate slow-release dopamine. In our fast-paced world, with quick release dopamine in abundance, reading is both a cheap and easy way to boost your mental wellbeing and reduce your stress levels. 

• Reading can take you on a journey and help you better understand other people’s mindsets and worldviews. It can help you put yourself in the shoes of people, real or fictional, whose life experience is different to your own. This sense of understanding, empathy and compassion is much needed in today’s world. 

• Finally, books are still vetted by publishers, though to what extent and for what purpose might be up for debate. In a world in which we are bombarded with information, often of questionably quality and validity, the comfort of a book, both in terms of its content and sense of containment, can be considered a real premium. This is especially true at a time when sources and reliability might appear less vital than before. 

I hope this has inspired you to pick up a book during the school holiday or the next few weeks. Now on to the best part – the real joy of reading – choosing your next book to read. I am very excited to find out the next read in our Celebration of Reading Book Club for both students and staff at Wimbledon High.  

See you at Wimbledon Bookfest.