Tag: Liberton Primary School

First Minister’s Reading Challenge: Edinburgh pupil wins national award

Scottish Book Trust, the national charity changing lives with reading and writing, has today announced this year’s winners of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

Coen, a P7 pupil from Liberton Primary School, has won the Pupil Reading the Most Books award after reading an incredible 71 books over the course of the school year.

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge was established in 2016, and celebrates the reading journeys of schools, libraries, and community groups across Scotland. The Challenge is run by Scottish Book Trust, working closely with Education Scotland. It includes book suggestions, learning resources, prizes, case studies and ideas to help young people develop a love of reading, as well as the opportunity to apply for funded author visits.

Andy Theakston, P7 class teacher (above) said: ‘At Liberton Primary School, we are incredibly proud of Coen and how much commitment he has shown to the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

“He is an avid reader and was very keen to take part right from the start of the year. We knew he would read a lot of books during the challenge, but to win is an absolutely fantastic achievement!’

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘Many congratulations to this year’s First Minister’s Reading Challenge winners, as well as to those who were highly commended.

“Reading for pleasure supports attainment across the curriculum – as well as boosting empathy, wellbeing and critical thinking – and we are delighted to see how schools, libraries and community groups have used the Challenge to develop their reading cultures.’

The First Minister’s Reading Challenge was launched in March 2016 and in its first year was open from August 2016 to March 2017 to all Primary 4 to Primary 7 children in local authority and independent schools across Scotland. 

In its second year the Challenge was expanded to include Primaries 1 to 3, and in its third year, the Challenge was expanded to include Secondary Schools, Libraries and Community Groups.

Full list of this year’s winning and highly commended groups:

·         Classroom Inspiration Challenge

o   Winner – The Selkies from Parklands School (Argyll & Bute)

o   Highly Commended – P6b from Darnley Primary School (Glasgow City)

o   Highly Commended – Campsie View School (East Dunbartonshire)

·         Reading Inspiration Challenge

o   Winner – Dornoch Academy (Highland)

o   Highly Commended – King’s Park Secondary School (Glasgow City)

·         Pupil Reading Journey – Group

o   Winner – Braco Primary School (Perth and Kinross)

o   Highly Commended – Golfhill Primary School (Glasgow City)

·         Lower Primary Pupil Reading Journey

o   Winner – P1–3 from Bankton Primary School (West Lothian)

·         P4 Pupil Reading Journey

o   Winner – Ivy from Findochty Primary School (Moray)

·         P5 Pupil Reading Journey

o   Winner – Judy from Oakgrove Primary School (Glasgow City)

·         P7 Pupil Reading Journey

o   Winner – Daisy from Findochty Primary School (Moray)

·         Library Reading Culture Challenge

o   Winner – Denny Library and Denny High School (Falkirk)

·         Community Reading Culture Challenge

o   Winner – Virtual School NLC Letterbox Club (North Lanarkshire)

·         Pupil Reading the Most Books

o   Winner – Coen from Liberton Primary School (Edinburgh City)

Families across Scotland receive free books during Book Week Scotland


Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, yesterday (Thursday 17 November) joined P2 and P3 pupils at Liberton Primary School in Edinburgh with their families as they received their Read, Write, Count bags.

Every P2 and P3 pupil in Scotland is gifted a Read, Write, Count bag containing books and activities that are theirs to keep. P1 pupils are also part of the annual gifting, receiving their Bookbug P1 Family Bag.

Scottish Book Trust is delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Government and Education Scotland to devise and deliver the Read, Write, Count bags. Over quarter of a million books will be gifted through 129,600 Read, Write, Count bags this year, including 1600 Gaelic-language bags. The bags are gifted to pupils during Book Week Scotland each year.

For many children across Scotland, the books they receive through the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count gifting programme are the only books they have at home. Access to books can have a life-changing impact on children, with research showing it can boost attainment across the curriculum, as well as improving wellbeing, empathy and future opportunities. By the time children in Scotland reach their eighth birthday, they will have received six bags of books from Scottish Book Trust.

Book Week Scotland, this year running 14–20 November, is run by Scottish Book Trust – the national charity changing lives through reading and writing. Book Week Scotland was initiated by the Scottish Government and is supported by funding from Creative Scotland and SLIC, and is this year also supported by Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘Gifting books to children through the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count programmes is one of the highlights of Book Week Scotland each year.

“For many children in Scotland, the only books they have at home are the ones they are given by Scottish Book Trust. Our Bookbug and Read, Write, Count bags reach children from birth up to Primary 3, and we know they can make a big impact to children’s lives.’

‘We’re grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills for joining us at Liberton Primary School as the pupils and their families were gifted the bags.’

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: ‘Read, Write, Count is a vital programme for children across Scotland. We know the benefit of providing children with an opportunity to discover a passion for reading and to bond with their families over books and other book items provided within these bags.

‘I would like to thank Scottish Book Trust for their continued work on the Read, Write, Count programme and to Liberton Primary School for inviting me to enjoy this wonderful day with everyone.’