SCHOOLCHILDREN will receive a birthday surprise in a novel initiative designed to boost their reading skills.
Every Year 7 student at Longfield Academy in Darlington will receive a birthday card containing a voucher for a reading book.
Head teacher Susan Johnson said: “We have a fantastic library but there is nothing like owning your own book.
“Reading is a crucial building block for a successful education and anything we can do to encourage young people to read and enjoy literature must be worthwhile.”
Jordan, 12, said: “It was a lovely surprise to receive a card from school with a book token and I am looking forward to seeing what I can buy.”
Longfield Academy also introduced the Accelerated Reader programme, which assesses the level of students’ reading abilities through on-line quizzes and suggests appropriate books. Last year six students read more than one million words as a result of the programme.
This summer’s GCSE English grades reflected the efforts the academy puts into the core subject as the student pass rate saw a 33 per cent hike to 88 per cent as the school enjoyed its best ever results.
Mrs Johnson added: “The latest venture is a simple way to help students enjoy their reading because it is a skill that will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.”
