This week every child in school has taken part in the virtual Bath Childrens’ Literature Festival. This wonderful event is an opportunity to celebrate children’s literacy and help remind us all why reading is so important. 

So, let me ask you, when was the last time you read for pleasure? How often do you read aloud to your child, simply for the enjoyment of sharing a book together? 

Bali Rai, English author of children’s and young adult fiction, points out that ‘reading for pleasure is the single biggest factor in success later in life, outside of an education. Study after study has shown that those children who read for pleasure are the ones who are most likely to fulfil their ambitions. If your child reads, they will succeed – it’s that simple.’ But what about reading aloud to our children, enjoying a bedtime story together? As our children become better and more independent readers, we stop reading to them at bedtime. Only 17% of parents still read to their child after the age of 9, but according to a study by Scholastic ,’87% of children age 6 to 11 said they liked being read to and wished their parents would continue reading to them.’ So, let’s make it our mission this year to read more, read together and read for pleasure!

As of next week, we will be publishing on the newsletter the percentage of children in each class reading at least 4 times across the week.

October 2020