At The Two Counties Trust, we take literacy seriously. World Book Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate reading and writing, but for us, it’s not limited to just one day. We’re passionate about fostering a love of books every day, making reading a key part of school life. Across our Trust, students and staff took part in a range of exciting activities to bring books to life.
From author visits to interactive competitions, each school created opportunities to engage students with reading and writing. At Ashfield School, author Nicky Rafferty led four creative writing workshops with Key Stage 3 students, who contributed to ‘Stories from Ashfield’ by writing letters to a local nursing home. The school also ran ‘Fantastic Books and Where to Find Them’, a treasure hunt that encouraged students to explore literature in a fun and engaging way.
Meanwhile, Springwell Community College welcomed author Matt Dickinson, who shared his experiences of climbing Everest and how it inspired his book series, The Everest Files. His visit linked to a National Geographic-inspired ‘photo frame’ competition, which encouraged students to capture their own adventures through creative writing as well as photography.
At Manor Academy, students were treated to a visit from author, Lesley Parr and took part in a variety of reading-based activities, including a fairytale-themed fancy dress event led by the English team. Year 7-10 students participated in a special year-group reading session, while Year 12 explored creative writing through the ‘GrimTales’ project.
Fredrick Gent School focused on the power of books to change lives, launching ‘Books to Read Before You Live’. Staff shared books that had a significant impact on them, which were then wrapped in brown paper and displayed in the library with only the staff member’s name and a brief description of why the book was special to them. This mystery book selection added an interesting twist to book recommendations.
Selston High School also welcome a poet and playwright, Ben McPherson, who has written and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe. He spoke to students about his book Serious Nonsense, sharing his insights into poetry and storytelling. Selson students also had the chance to get creative with a bookmark design competition based on the them ‘escapism’.
Across the Trust, students and staff embraced DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) and DEAL (Drop Everything and Learn), reinforcing that reading is for everyone. Friesland School held a DEAR Day, where students paused their usual lessons to enjoy dedicated reading time, while staff engaged in DEAL sessions using the Trust’s recommended reading list.
At Swanwick Hall School, students participated in a thrilling school-wide Murder Mystery Novella event, with the story unfolding throughout the day before the mystery was finally solved. Meanwhile, Wilsthorpe School encouraged students to get creative with a design-a-book-token competition and a whole-school quiz in the library.
Beyond World Book Day, we’re excited to launch our first Varsity Writing Competition, giving all 11,000 students across the Trust the chance to submit 250 words on the theme of ‘Honesty’. Whether handwritten or typed, students’ entries must be submitted by Thursday 20th March. This competition is an exciting opportunity to develop creative writing skills and encourage students to express themselves.
In addition to the various activities, students have been encouraged to write book recommendation postcards, which are being displayed on large notice boards across the schools. This allows students to share their favourite reads with their peers, helping to inspire others when choosing their next book.
It really has been a jam-packed day across our Trust! From book-themed assemblies to creative writing projects and reading challenges, as well as the amazing costumes from staff, this year’s celebrations have been bigger and better than ever. It will definitely be a World Book Day to remember and arguably our #BestYet!
