From Harry Potter to Where’s Wally, hundreds of children dressed up to bring World Book Day alive with colour and imagination at Benfield Primary School, in Portslade.
World Book Day is celebrated across the globe to champion the importance of books in children’s education and development.
And every year, on the first Thursday in March, Benfield Primary School takes part to support and encourage its pupils to embrace the joy of reading.
Pupils went all out to showcase their favourite book, dressing up as characters from much-loved stories, while others wore pyjamas ready for a cosy story time reading on Thursday (6 March).
Benfield’s executive head teacher Emma Lake said: “World Book Day is always a highlight at Benfield Primary School and this year was no exception.
“Seeing our pupils embrace the celebration in such a fun and creative way has been wonderful. Their enthusiasm for reading makes us incredibly proud and we look forward to continuing to nurture their love for learning.”
The head added that reading and literacy were a key focus for the school year-round.
The Eko Trust, which runs Benfield, said: “Last year, with the support of its Parents and Friends Association (PFA) and the wider community, Benfield renovated its library.
“Everyone came together to paint the space and make it a magical, welcoming and inspiring place to read, with pupils and classes now enjoying the space every day.
“Continuing this mission, staff at Benfield have been working together this term to develop even more opportunities for reading across every year group.”
Eko Trust head of education Deborah Strain and Kim Fryer, the reading lead at the school, have been remapping the reading curriculum.
Kim Fryer said: “We’ve relaunched a high-quality diet of rich and diverse reading texts that represent the school community.
“Every class in the school enjoys story time which takes place daily. We recognise the power of books for capturing our imagination and making sense of the world.”
Deborah Strain said: “It’s fantastic to see the enthusiasm from both staff and pupils for literacy at Benfield Primary School.
“Events like World Book Day alongside reading being embedded in the curriculum show children that books open doors to imagination and discovery. The school’s dedication to fostering a love of books is truly inspiring.”
SPLENDID 🙂