Edinburgh pupil wins First Minister’s Reading Challenge Award

The winners of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge 2018 were announced at an event in Edinburgh’s Hub yesterday. Among the 17 winners to receive prizes from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was Liberton Primary School pupil, Ian Hammer, who received the award for the Pupil Reading the Most Books (upper primary).

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge is now in it’s second year and the Hub event offered an an opportunity for every participating child’s personal achievements to be recognised by their teachers and librarians with personal certificates and other resources.

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge was launched in 2016 for Primaries 4 to 7 and following the success of the first year was expanded to include all Primary age pupils. Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives through reading and writing, delivered this exciting reading initiative on behalf of the Scottish Government and every school in Scotland was invited to take part. This year almost 1000 schools, from 29 local authorities, registered for the challenge.

Reading has the power to transform lives, and developing a love of reading in childhood can have a huge impact on educational attainment and future wellbeing. The First Minister’s Reading Challenge encourages children to read for pleasure and develop a life-long love of books. The awards recognise the efforts of schools and pupils to support reading for enjoyment and create a reading culture in their school, home or community.

Ian (above) was awarded the Pupil Reading the Most Books prize in recognition of his commitment to setting aside time each day to read – and managed to get through 600 books during the challenge, an average of 2 books a day!

The First Minister said: “I’d like to congratulate all the schools and pupils who have taken part in this year’s challenge. They’ve all worked really hard over the past year and are a credit to their local communities.

“Raising attainment is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s work. That is why I launched the First Minister’s Reading Challenge – to encourage reading for pleasure from an early age which in turn, helps improve children’s literacy.

“I look forward to the next year of the challenge which will see even more people able to take part from secondary schools, libraries and community groups.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “Reading for pleasure boosts children’s creativity, mental well-being and performance at school and beyond, and is one of the most important things we can instil in children.

“These awards recognise some amazing work from schools and pupils who have shown a real commitment to building and sustaining a reading culture.”

Commenting on the award Liberton Headteacher, Paul Ewing said: “The First Minister’s Reading Challenge has been a wonderful boost to our existing reading initiatives to encourage all our children at Liberton Primary to be enthusiastic readers. We are absolutely delighted that Ian’s achievements have been recognised in this way.”

Ian’s Class Teacher Mrs L. Smith added: “Ian has a pile of books on his desk which he works his way through each day, as well as dipping in to the class library and borrowing books from other pupils. He is rarely to be found without a book or comic in his hand.”

Following the success of the second year and the expansion to include lower primary, the First Minister’s Reading Challenge is being extended further and at the beginning of the new term the challenge will be open to secondary schools, libraries and community groups.

Full list of awards:

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 1

Patrycja Zuchowska, Bankton Primary School, West Lothian

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 2

P1/2 class, Killermont Primary School, East Dunbartonshire

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 3

P2/3 class, Craigbank Primary School, Clackmannanshire

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 4

Eden McKinnon, Scotstoun Primary School, Glasgow

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 5

Noah Haycox, Rosewell Primary School, Midlothian

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 6

P6B, St John’s Primary School, South Ayrshire

Pupil Reading Journey – Primary 7

Kieran Mitchell, St James’ Primary School, Renfrewshire

Pupil reading the Most Books (lower primary)

Zach Henderson, Kinnaird Primary School, Falkirk

Pupil Reading the Most Books (upper primary)

Ian Hammer, Liberton Primary School, Edinburgh

School Reading the Most Books

St James’ Primary School, Renfrewshire

Gaelic Medium Education Reading Journey

Goodlyburn Primary School (Bun-sgoil Goodlyburn), Perth and Kinross

School and Community Partnership Reading Journey – National Winner

Caol Primary School, Highland

School and Community Partnership Reading Journey – Highly Commended

Newtongrange Primary School, Midlothian

School and Community Partnership Reading Journey – Local Authority Winner

Stirling: Kincardine-in-Menteith Primary School and Thornhill Primary School

School Reading Journey – National Winner

Annette Street Primary School, Glasgow

School Reading Journey – Local Authority Winners

West Lothian: Knightsridge Primary School, Simpson Primary School, Letham Primary School, Bankton Primary School, St Ninian’s Primary School

School Reading Journey – Highly Commended

Kilmaurs Primary School, East Ayrshire