Falkirk school’s gold status in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s reading challenge

Beancross Primary School received the rating as Nicola Sturgeon opened registration for the new school term.

The other gold standard went to Bridge of Allan Primary in Stirling.

Core accreditation went to Hallglen and Maddiston Primary Schools, and Denny High School.

The Reading Challenge is run by national charity Scottish Book Trust with support from Education Scotland and funded by Scottish Government.

Open to all primary and secondary schools as well as community groups and libraries in Scotland, it aims aims to build positive reading cultures and improve literacy for young people.

It helps them to establish regular reading routines and activities as young people -return to education.

This academic year will be the final year of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge - Reading Schools will roll out nationally across Scotland from next August .

Ms Sturgeon said: “When I first established the First Minister’s Reading Challenge in 2016, I wanted to encourage reading as a source of pleasure and fun for our children and young people.

“Since then, I’ve witnessed first-hand the positive impact the Reading Challenge has had on school pupils and been amazed by the creativity and dedication of the schools who have submitted their work each year. “

Marion Cochrane, Forth Valley and West Lothian RIC Literacy Lead (West Lothian), added: “Reading Schools has had a huge impact on the young people and staff across our authority.

“It has created a real excitement for reading and has followed on and developed the work we were already doing with the First Minister’s Reading Challenge.

“I think that this is a sustainable, long-term approach to reading across Scotland and everyone involved with it sees it as beneficial and supportive.”

Schools, libraries and community groups that register for the First Minister’s Reading Challenge will be able to apply for funding to work with an author, illustrator, poet or storyteller as well as being entered into a prize draw to win books to help build their reading culture.

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