Children given gift of reading for Christmas

Christmas came early for hundreds of children at Churchfield Primary School who were given two books each to take home.

All pupils from Years 1 to 6 were invited to choose their own book bundle from a huge selection, thanks to the Children’s Book Project, which works across the UK to redistribute thousands of new and gently used books to children and their families.

They were joined by Kate Osamor, the MP for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, who chatted to the pupils and helped them to decide which books to choose.

Rachel Pennock, Assistant Headteacher and Reading Lead at Churchfield, explains: “Reading is at the heart of our curriculum and promoting reading for pleasure is a priority for us, but many children don’t have access to a wide selection of books at home. So we were thrilled to be chosen for the Children’s Book Project Discovery Programme, which gives London primary schools all the books they need to put on three gifting events over the course of the year.

“By the end of the summer term, the children will have had the chance to choose and take home six books. The timing of the first event was perfect, just before Christmas, and the children were thrilled when they walked into the school hall and saw all the beautiful books to choose from. There was a real buzz around the school.”

Rachel adds: “From fiction to non-fiction, there really was the perfect book for everyone, with an amazing range on display. This was a wonderful opportunity for our pupils and having Kate Osamor join us added to the excitement and sense of occasion. She had a great time talking to our pupils and hearing about what they like to read.”

The Children’s Book Project is a charity which aims to help children enjoy books and read for pleasure. It works closely with primary schools, as well as prisons, women’s refuges, food banks and foster placement teams.