World Book Day

I can’t let yesterday’s World Book Day go by without using it as a way to once again promote the benefits of reading. Research shows that reading – and in particular reading fiction – has a positive effect on a person’s educational outcomes. Not only do literacy skills improve, but so does a person’s knowledge of the wider world, helping them to make connections and better understand the whole curriculum delivered in school. Students don’t just benefit in English either…the research shows that students who read often also achieve more highly in science and maths. Given that reading is fun, relaxing and beneficial…what’s not to love?

At MHS we do World Book Day a little differently. Not a fan of getting staff to dress up as fictional characters, instead we want to dedicate the time to exposing students to actual stories. That’s why for the past couple of years we have instead chosen to read a short story to every class throughout the day, each teacher pitching in with a different part until the story comes to an end in the afternoons. Alongside quizzes and competitions, we hope that this makes WBD at MHS a more intereactive and reading focussed experience. The stories chosen for this year were gripping and surprisingly brutal…you should ask your sons/daughters/wards what story they heard and what they thought of it.

We know that reading makes a difference, and we hope that by working together with families we can encourage all our students to develop a love of reading that will stay with them for life.

Have a great weekend

Joe Barker

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