The FT.com offers free access for schools

As a rule, young people do not read newspapers. OK, this might sound like a sweeping statement but the figures don’t lie. Here are some numbers that will make editors who are desperate to breathe some new life into their readerships shudder.

The average age of a Daily Telegraph reader is 61 years. Even, some would argue trendier titles like The Guardian struggle with an average readership age of 44. It be argued that millennials offer newspaper publishers little hope when hugely successful newspaper brands like The Daily Mail can only boast that 14 percent of their readership was under the age of 35.

The fact is, young people prefer to get their news from other sources, believing “traditional” newspaper titles are more suited to their parents (or even grandparents).

However, the Financial Times is pinning its hopes on developing its youth audience thanks to a new deal with Lloyds Bank which will give students at UK secondary schools and colleges free access to content hosted on the FT.com site.

Caspar de Bono, the FT’s B2B managing director, told journalists: “Universities and employers are looking for candidates that are confident about their subject and can demonstrate a wider interest than the minimum required by the curriculum. A pilot initiative with a few secondary schools has shown that FT journalism can play a valuable part in building this deeper interest. We hope that an enthusiasm for FT journalism will stay with these students in their life beyond school.”

The initiative follows positive trials at The Leys School in Cambridge, where sixth form student Krishan Puvvada praised the opportunity.

Puvvada said: “It is very important for young people like me to better understand the wider implications of economics, politics and business on society, in order to fully appreciate the value of what is taught in our lessons.

“This initiative can really bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world, preparing students for working life after school. I hope many other students find the FT as engaging, inspiring and useful as I have.”

For more information on FT for secondary schools, click here.