Tag: literacy

Reading Challenge now open to all pupils

Challenge expands to include secondary schools

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge is now open to all pupils across primary and secondary schools in Scotland.

Secondary schools, libraries and community groups can now register to take part in the challenge which has been running in primary schools since 2016 and is delivered by Scottish Book Trust.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon launched the third year of the challenge at Renfrew High School, one of the secondary schools that took part in a pilot last year.

She said: “I set up the First Minister’s Reading Challenge to instil a love of reading from an early age. Reading not only opens up a whole new world of adventure, but also helps develop and improve children’s literacy.

“The evaluation of the programme showed it has been well received by pupils, schools and parents in primary schools.   It is important we build on that enthusiasm and encourage young people to continue reading as they progress through their education into secondary school.

“Registration for this year’s challenge is now open and I’m looking forward to seeing pupils from P1 to S6 getting involved.”

Headteacher of Renfrew High School Billy Burke said: “We were delighted to participate in the secondary pilot of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge and I have been hugely impressed by how our young people have embraced the opportunity.

“Particularly through the outstanding work of our school library with a variety of external partners, we have developed a vibrant culture of creativity and reading for pleasure throughout the school.

“Literacy unlocks the wider curriculum, and it is fantastic to see our pupils enjoying, embracing and leading in this area of their learning.”

Edinburgh Northern & Laith MSP Ben Macpherson has welcomed the announcement. He said: “The First Minister’s Reading Challenge is a great opportunity to get more children and young people excited about reading. 

“With the increasing use of smartphones and computers, it is more important than ever that we promote reading and its power to accelerate learning and boost attainment.

“Following the Scottish Government’s National Strategy for School Libraries announced last week, the Reading Challenge is a great chance for schools and other groups to join a national reading movement.

“I encourage all schools, libraries and reading groups in the constituency to get involved.”

Registration for the First Minister’s Reading challenge is now open

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge is delivered through Scottish Book Trust, funded by the Scottish Government.

995 schools registered for the challenge last year with 235,000 children taking part.

The evaluation of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge is available online.

 

 

A new vision for School Libraries

Pupils shape strategy to help improve literacy and boost attainment

Hundreds of young people have informed the development of a new joint strategy to ensure every child in Scotland will have access to a dynamic school library.

The national strategy for school libraries is the first of its kind in the UK. The strategy includes 20 action points to support the improvement of literacy and numeracy, boost attainment across the curriculum, and enable opportunities for family learning.

The strategy will ensure school library services:

  • Are delivered to all pupils from Early Learning and Childcare to secondary school
  • Foster strong links among schools, families and carers
  • Offer creative approaches to learning across the curriculum, including STEM related and digital activities
  • Are included in schools’ improvement plans

Pupils shared experiences of how their school librarian had built their confidence in reading and highlighted how the school library supports their wellbeing, a key theme in the strategy:

“I found people like me at the library” – S1, Inverclyde Academy

“The library is my second home” – S5, Inverclyde Academy

“Coming to the library is my favourite part of school” – P6, Aviemore Primary

“If you’re in the library, you can clear your mind by reading a book” – P6, Aviemore Primary

A specialist group will now be formed from key stakeholders to oversee the implementation of the strategy’s aims and report on progress.

Speaking ahead of the publication on International Literacy Day, Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, said: “School libraries have a vital part to play, throughout the learner journey from 3-18. They support literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing, improving attainment across the Curriculum.

“This strategy seeks to make libraries the vibrant hub and epicentre of our schools, promoting an appreciation of literature, an understanding of information literacy and a place of contact, friendship, dialogue and reassurance.

“I am pleased to endorse this strategy and look forward to working with stakeholders, headteachers and library staff to implement it over the next five years.”

Councillor Stephen McCabe, COSLA Children and Young People spokesperson said: “We are pleased that the National School Library Strategy recognises the many practical and innovative ways in which local authorities deliver library services to children and young people.

“The strategy will be a valuable blueprint for all of those involved in developing and delivering school library services to ensure all children and young people get the best from their education.”

 

Read all about it: Claire’s coming to Craigie!

Craigroyston Community High is one of ten Scottish schools to receive an author residency from Scottish Book Trust. Poet and writer Claire Askew will work with the local school to inspire a lifelong love of reading and writing.  Continue reading Read all about it: Claire’s coming to Craigie!

Hello Dolly! Imagination Library’s Kirsteen shares the joy of reading with pre-school children

 • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library aims to inspire a love of reading in pre-School children
• More than 150k free books delivered to children in Scotland since 2011
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library attending the Scottish Learning Festival on 20/21 September

Edinburgh’s Kirsteen Watson is playing a key role in helping Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library inspire a love of reading in pre-school children across the UK. Kirsteen is one of two Regional Directors in the UK and is responsible for managing the literacy programme in communities across Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. Continue reading Hello Dolly! Imagination Library’s Kirsteen shares the joy of reading with pre-school children

FM Reading Challenge to be piloted in secondary schools

A scheme to encourage literacy and a love of reading in young people is being expanded to secondary schools across Scotland. The First Minister’s Reading Challenge will now be piloted up to S3 in six schools across Scotland.

Earlier this year the First Minister announced that the scheme was being rolled out to all primary school children, following a trial year among P4-P7. More than three quarters of all local authority primary schools in Scotland signed up to the First Minister’s Challenge in the first year of it being introduced when it was offered to older primary school children.

Research shows reading for pleasure drops off as young people reach secondary school and the expansion of the scheme is designed to ensure young adults continue to enjoy reading long after they have left primary school.

Speaking during a visit to one of the pilot schools, St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School yesterday, the First Minister said: “I am incredibly proud of the success the First Minister’s Reading Challenge has had in nurturing a love of reading for pleasure amongScotland’s young people which is why this expansion to secondary schools is so exciting.

“I am determined to ensure we continue to promote reading as one of life’s greatest pleasures – and that young people reap the benefits of the resulting educational attainment that can be achieved.”

Michael Wilkie, Literacy Coordinator from St Andrew’s and St Bride’s High School, said: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge. Reading has been such an important aspect of our plans for raising attainment in the last few years, and this exciting initiative will be the drive to expand reading for pleasure across the entire school community.

“Plans are already in progress to engage parents to help their children be the best readers they can be, to support staff across the curriculum to confidently teach and assess reading, and to give pupils as many opportunities as possible to pick up a book and get reading. With an active and enthusiastic literacy committee and pupils who thrive on reading, we are certainly up for the challenge.’

Marc Lambert, CEO at Scottish Book Trust, which runs the programme, added:”This expansion of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge builds on the huge success of its first year and opens up the joy of reading for pleasure to all primary children.  The secondary school pilot will focus on a key age group, among whom reading for pleasure can tail off due to the pressures on time that come with high school.

“The Reading Challenge will focus attention on this, giving pupils more opportunities to share and celebrate what they love reading, delve deeper into writing and discover different ways to enjoy books.”

Craigroyston Primary project is Charity Times Award finalist

A literacy programme at Craigroyston Primary School is in the running for a national award. The pioneering programme jointly ran by Scottish Book Trust and Scottish Gas has been announced as a finalist at the Charity Times Awards. Continue reading Craigroyston Primary project is Charity Times Award finalist

Cash boost for community book festival

An annual book festival aimed at boosting literacy among children from an under-resourced Edinburgh community has been given a £1,000 boost thanks to a regional builder. Persimmon Homes East Scotland was so impressed with the work of the Craigmillar Literacy Trust that it was chosen to receive a match-funding donation through the builder’s successful Community Champions scheme. Continue reading Cash boost for community book festival

Children join First Minister for Reading Challenge celebration

Children from across the country took part in the first celebration event for an initiative that fosters a lifelong love of reading amongst Scotland’s young people. Around 600 P4 – P7 children joined First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the inaugural First Minister’s Reading Challenge ceremony in Edinburgh. Continue reading Children join First Minister for Reading Challenge celebration

Partnership makes book reuse a priority on UK campuses

Partnership provides new opportunities for students, faculty and the wider campus community to maximise the value of their unwanted books

Better World Books, the award-winning, socially minded  global bookseller, is delighted to announce a new partnership with the EAUC, the environmental and sustainability champion within Further and Higher Education in the UK, to drive sustainability and book reuse at university and college campuses across the UK.

The EAUC and Better World Books will work together to locate book banks which will provide students, staff and the wider community with a convenient and easy way to donate books that they no longer want. Books that are collected will be processed at the Better World Books distribution centre in Dunfermline and listed for sale on www.betterworldbooks.co.uk and other online marketplaces.  A percentage of every book sold will support the EAUC’s mission.  Any books that cannot be sold will be donated or recycled–no books ever become landfill.  The book banks are supplied free of charge by Better World Books.

Better World Books successfully operates its book bank programme at various locations across the UK, including Fife. In Fife alone, almost one million books have been collected since 2013.

The EAUC leads and empowers the post-16 education sector to put sustainability at the heart of the way the world operates. The EAUC believes that both the issues of social, environmental and economic sustainability are interlinked as well as the solutions.

Iain Patton, EAUC CEO, said, “EAUC’s new partnership with Better World Books aims to help our members bridge the ‘learning gap’ and stop books being lost to landfill.”

Better World Books, as a founding member of the B Corp movement and the winner of the VIBES Circular Economy Award in 2015, shares similar goals of reuse and sustainability.

Martin Mullin, Head of Sales UK for Better World Books added, “This exciting partnership between the EAUC and Better World Books is a brilliant concept with sustainability at the very centre.  Together we will work to place book banks across Universities and Colleges and collect books that would otherwise be going to landfills.  The book banks are a very convenient way for everyone involved in campus life to participate.  We’re really pleased to be working with an organisation that shares our environmental goals and values.”

Book gift packs for all P2 and P3 children

30263356654_0f5a289c48_k

Every P2 and P3 child in Scotland will receive a pack containing books, games and other materials to help improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Education Secretary John Swinney launched the first packs at Towerbank Primary School, as part of the Read, Write, Count campaign delivered by Scottish Book Trust which encourages parents to actively engage in their child’s learning journey. Continue reading Book gift packs for all P2 and P3 children