Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
UK’s largest children’s reading charity on how to Start the Story and engage children with reading for pleasure
Throughout October – December, BookTrust, the UK’s largest children’s reading charity is hosting 18 free events across nine cities to help practitioners at primary and secondary school to engage pupils, families and the wider school community with reading for pleasure.
The Start the Story events, designed for teachers, literacy coordinators, librarians and other staff who have responsibility for reading enjoyment, take a practical approach to tackling common reading barriers and strengthen understandings of the importance that families and the wider community play in encouraging children to read for pleasure. Each session will feature practical suggestions to help support students and families on their reading journey with real life examples from inspiring school practitioners on how they have used BookTrust campaigns to launch wider reading initiatives and create connections through reading.
Gill Washington had been teaching at South Parade Primary school for 18 years when she launched the hugely successful Bring Back Bedtime Stories campaign, after discovering that only a handful of her students were getting a bedtime story. Through her campaign, Gill has transformed the reading habits and attitudes of children and parents at South Parade Primary school. Newly retired, she has taught every year group throughout KS1 and KS2, ending her career as Literacy Lead and KS1 Lead. Gill’s campaign will be featured at each event, whilst at the Bradford and Middlesbrough sessions Gill will personally explain the impact of the initiative and give advice to schools on creating their own behaviour change campaign.
Heather Wright, who will speak at the Stoke and Manchester events, spearheaded an integrated campaign called “The Year of Reading” in 2014/2015. The project, which started to help ignite a love of reading in all pupils had a dramatic effect across the entire school and went on to win an Education Award in 2015. Heather, who is behind the incredibly successful Reading Rocks community on Twitter, will talk through why The Year of Reading began, the reason for its success and what the school has gone on to achieve since then.
To register for your free place click here.
| Primary school events 19th October – London 31st October – Middlesbrough 3rdNovember – Bradford 9th November – Exeter 14th November – Stoke 17th November – Manchester 21st November – Derby 28th November – Portsmouth 4th December – Norwich |
Secondary school events 16th October – London 1st November – Middlesbrough 2nd November – Bradford 10th November – Exeter 15th November – Stoke 16th November – Manchester 20th November – Derby 27th November – Portsmouth 5th December – Norwich |
Diana Gerald, CEO, BookTrust: said “We’re delighted to launch another term of school events, helping to inspire best practice, support new ideas and improve the reading for pleasure culture in primary and secondary schools up and down the country.”