Grangemouth primary school is named winner of First Minister's Reading Challenge

The school, in Kenilworth Street, Grangemouth, took part in the First Minister's Reading Challenge 2019/2020, impressing everyone with the creative efforts it made to increase the desire of pupils to read for pleasure.

These initiatives include the school’s library leaders group, themed class libraries, pupil author project for primary sevens and community partnerships with a local care home, library and their cluster secondary school.

The Scottish Book Trust, a national charity changing lives through reading and writing, announced the various winners online and commented on the comprehensive nature of Beancross Primary’s events and the variety of activities it held, and thought the links made with the community were excellent.

As well as being presented with a trophy, the school will also receive funding to pay for a special author from the Scottish Book Trust to inspire them even more.

Andrew Watson, Head Teacher at Beancross Primary School said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won the First Minister’s Reading Challenge for the Whole School Reading Journey.

“At Beancross our journey has been one of excitement led creatively and with enthusiasm by principal teacher Lauren Miller and supported fully by the staff team, parents and children.

“We look forward to continuing our journey next session with the addition of a new school library and the continuation of the many successful reading events from Session 2019-2020.”

Now in its fourth year, the First Minister’s Reading Challenge encourages children to read for pleasure and develop a life-long love of books – it started with children in primary four to primary seven and then expanded to include all primary and secondary schools, as well as libraries and community groups in 2018.

The awards recognise the efforts of schools and pupils to support reading for enjoyment and create a reading culture in their school, home or community.

The First Minister's Reading Challenge was launched in 2016 for Primaries 4 to 7 and expanded to include all primary and secondary schools as well as libraries and community groups in its third year.

Every school in Scotland is invited to take part and all those who submitted entries this year will receive book tokens.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Inspiring our young people to read for pleasure can help to improve literacy and mental health and increase creativity – that is why I launched the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

“It is great to see so many young people discover their own love of reading but also help to bring that passion and inspiration to their friends, families, schools and local communities.

“I want schools across Scotland to sign up to the challenge when it launches in August so that we can keep sharing the joy of reading for generations to come.”

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: “It was fantastic to receive so many submissions to the First Minister’s Reading Challenge despite the restrictions of lockdown.

“Pupils, parents, and teachers have come together to celebrate books and develop a reading culture within their schools and local communities. Although we cannot celebrate together in person this year, we hope the pupils are immensely proud of their achievements.”