Children met real life authors and created their own literary works

Children at Grove Park Primary School in Chiswick celebrated their love of all things literary by holding their first ever ‘Reading Festival’.

Pupils across the school engaged in a variety of entertaining and imaginative activities designed to embed their love of reading for pleasure, as well as offering opportunities for them to meet real-life authors and try their hand at creating their own books and illustrations.

To encourage the association of reading and pleasure, pupils were invited to bring in slippers, cushions or pillows for ‘cosy reading’ during the week. Children also enjoyed a very special ‘Bedtime Books’, where they were invited back to school wearing their pyjamas at 5pm to share bedtime stories and hot chocolate with their classmates and teachers - who wore their pyjamas too!

The school hosted visits from two leading children’s authors: Mini Grey and Abi Elphinstone. Mini Grey (pictured below) spent the day Grove Park, leading a whole school assembly where she encouraged children to combine words and illustrations to create books and tell their own stories. She also ran workshops with younger pupils and each class created a different character with Mini. At the end of the school day, parents and children were invited to meet Mini and she signed copies of her books.

Abi Elphinstone, author of titles including ‘Dream Snatcher’, ‘The Shadow Keeper’ and ‘The Night Spinner’, spent time with the older classes, inspiring the children to craft their own stories using their life experiences.

World Book Day also took place during the festival, with children and staff coming to school dressed as their favourite character from a book. Local residents were most amused to see Gangsta Grannies, Peter Rabbits and Harry Potters (to name but a few!) walking to and from school that day.

Grove Park Primary’s Reading Festival culminated in a short story competition, which received over 200 entries from across the year groups: stories full of adventure, humour, suspense, drama, and even some poetry! Winners were selected by the headteacher Mr. Jones, and their prize was a trip to the children’s independent bookshop ‘The Alligator’s Mouth’ where they each selected a book of their choice.

Grove Park Primary is currently recruiting for new school governors. If you’d like to make a valuable contribution to children’s education, opportunities and futures, please get in touch with our school by emailing info@grovepark.hounslow.sch.uk

Or see their website for more information:

April 5, 2019