Eager to learn and ensure reading success

Teachers across the district have kick-started Buster’s Book Club this year with a bang – as more schools continue to sign up to the successful reading reward scheme.

Literacy leaders attended a training session staged at St John’s Primary School in Canterbury to find out how they can best use the scheme to improve reading standards.

The event was organised by the KM Charity Team and attended by delegates from Canterbury Primary, Chartham Primary, Petham Primary, Preston Primary, Spires Academy in Sturry, and Swalecliffe Community Primary School in Whitstable.

Participants were given vouchers for Kent leisure attractions to use as competition prizes for their best reading classes.

They also received information on the Kent Teacher of the Year Awards – currently open to nominations – and the Literacy Stars scheme, which rewards pupils who have promoted literacy in their schools.

The event was one of six training sessions staged across the county – and these were attended by two thirds of the 101 schools signed up to Buster’s Book Club.

Schools project officer Charlotte Hayes, from the KM Charity Team, said: “More teachers came this year than ever before and they were all receptive to the training.

“It shows the level of enthusiasm there is about the scheme – it’s proven to make such a difference to literacy, particularly with boys who are finding reading challenging.

“We would like to give a special thanks to each of the schools that hosted a session – and we look forward to creating more reading millionaires in 2018.”

Buster’s Book Club is the flagship element of KM Focus on Reading 2018, the KM Media Group’s campaign to celebrate and highlight the work done in Kent schools to improve child literacy.

The reading reward scheme officially starts each January but schools can sign up at any point during the year. Every child is given a reading target by age group and classes compete both within the school and across the county to see who can read the most.

Schools can find out more, or join, by visiting www. bustersbookclub.co.uk or contacting Kathy Beel at kbeel@thekmgroup.co.uk.

FM5062637 Literacy leaders at the training session with the KM Charity Team