The pupils and staff at both Howbridge Junior School and Rivenhall Church of England Primary School were recently visited by MP Priti Patel, who was touring local Witham schools in order to celebrate her annual ‘Get Witham Reading’ campaign. The campaign, which encourages young children to improve their literacy through reading, was initially introduced by Ms Patel in 2012 with the aim of tackling the dramatic decline in children’s literacy levels in Witham.
Both schools chose to celebrate the campaign’s tenth anniversary by taking part in a variety of fun book-themed activities, ranging from the painting of decorative posters to the creation of some very impressive hand-crafted hats. Many of the schools’ classrooms had been decorated by the children, who took Ms Patel on a guided tour of their school and talked her through the activities they’d been doing to show how fun reading could be.
Lisa Dale, Headteacher of Howbridge Junior School, commented;
“Having a visitor like MP Priti Patel shows the children that reading is important and that the school is doing well. The children made hats linked to their ‘Take One Book’, which the year group study together, and each year group had planned some activities together for the day”
Both Howbridge Junior School and Rivenhall Church of England School are very proud to have been a part of the ongoing ‘Get Witham Reading’ campaign, and have been really impressed with the enthusiasm that the children have demonstrated for their reading and literacy.
