World Book Day across the Trust

This World Book Day, books and the love of reading were celebrated in schools and college centres across the Trust. But fostering a love of reading is important throughout the year, not just on World Book Day, and staff are fantastic at finding many creative ways to take the reading experience beyond just books. This enables pupils and students to discover new and exciting way to engage with reading, sparking curiosity whilst also building other skills. It has been fantastic to see how the bespoke mix of multisensory methods are used in settings across the Trust to encourage students to play and explore the magic of reading in a the most appropriate and accessible way.

At The Skills Hub, the Trust’s only Alternative Provision, staff dressed up as Wally and challenged students to a fun game of ‘Where’s Wally’ before getting down to the serious business of sharing their favourite books and totting up Reading Merits so that prizes could be awarded.

There were also prizes on offer next door at The PRIDE Academy where students took part in The PRIDE Academy Reading Challenge to tick off as many reading themed challenges as possible. Staff also encouraged students to use their reading skills in focussed activities and to access magazines, comics, newspapers, leaflets, audiobooks as well as books.

Orchard Hill College’s Supported Internships students at NHS England celebrated by bringing in their favourite books to share with their peers and some students wore symbols or items of clothing related to their favourite books. One student went the extra mile by wearing a dress and red shoes like her favourite character Matilda.

At Carew Academy students brought their favourite stories to life through their ‘Wings of Imagination’ project. Each student created a butterfly from the pages of their favourite book, symbolising how stories can help us dream, grow and connect. These butterflies will take flight from a giant open book in the library of their new building, reminding everyone that reading is an adventure.

St Dominic’s School had a fantastic week of celebrating reading which came together on World Book Day with students and staff wearing some wonderfully creative costumes. Their amazing parent volunteers also organised a book sale which raised funds for the school as well as giving everyone the opportunity to take a new book home to read.

Brantridge School invited author of the ‘Thinking Bigger’ books, Gary Fyfes, into school on World Book Day and he spoke to pupils about positive thinking and having a growth mindset. The boys also recorded a song for World Book Day and took part in an online workshop with an illustrator. They ended the week with a Festival of Friendship where they swapped friendship bracelets and paraded the ‘Worry Monsters’ they had made in class.

Addington Valley Academy invited parents into school to share reading activities including sensory stories with their children in class.

The Primary Department at St Philip’s got dressed up as characters from their favourite books. Pupils were all given a World Book Day voucher and are having a trip into Kingston to that everyone can choose a new book with their voucher.

Dysart School threw a giant Pyjama Party and Paddington Themed day. They made marmalade sandwiches and explored London landmarks before topping off the fun by watching the Paddington movie on bean bags in the hall.

Bedelsford School celebrated the grand opening of their newly redeveloped library and students enjoyed borrowing library books for their class or to take home. The World Book Day assemblies and costume parades were a highlight of the week. Prizes were awarded for ‘Getting caught reading’ and students and staff embraced the magic of reading in so many creative ways.

Well done everyone for demonstrating so brilliantly that reading is for everyone!