Reading Challenge winners

School pupils have received awards from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for their reading achievements in the last year.

Almost 1,000 primary schools across Scotland took part in the First Minister’s Reading Challenge this year, with more than 300 children attending a celebration event in Edinburgh.

Following an evaluation of the first year of the challenge, reading charity Scottish Book Trust will expand it to secondary schools, libraries and community groups in the next school year.

The First Minister said:

“I’d like to congratulate all the schools who have taken part in this year’s challenge. They’ve all worked really hard over the past year and demonstrated great enthusiasm for reading.

“Raising attainment is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s work. That is why I launched the First Minister’s Reading Challenge – to encourage reading for pleasure from an early age which in turn, helps improve children’s literacy.

“I look forward to the next year of the challenge which will see even more people able to take part from secondary schools, libraries and community groups.”

Sam Howarth, Acting Principal Teacher at Annette Street Primary in Glasgow, winners of the national prize for School Reading Journey, said:

“We are delighted to have taken part in the First Minister's Reading Challenge. It is wonderful to see public recognition for the hard work of our children, many of whom do not speak English as their first language.

“We have come a long way already this year in improving our reading culture by running book clubs, refreshing our library stock and using real life experiential learning to promote reading in context. Our reading journey at the school is just beginning and we have many more reading adventures planned for the future."

Background

The awards recognise inspirational work to promote reading and develop a reading culture taking place in schools across the country. Award winners for 2018 are:

• Pupil reading journey P1 – Patrycja Zuchowska, Bankton Primary School West Lothian
• Pupil reading journey P2 – pupils of P1/2 Killermont Primary School, East Dunbartonshire
• Pupil reading journey P3 – pupils of P2/3 Craigbank Primary School, Clackmannanshire
• Pupil reading journey P4 – Eden McKinnon, Scotstoun Primary School, Glasgow
• Pupil reading journey P5 – Noah Haycox, Rosewell Primary School, Midlothian
• Pupil reading journey P6 – pupils of P6B St John’s Primary School, South Ayrshire
• Pupil reading journey P7 – Kieran Mitchell, St James’ Primary School, Renfrewshire
• Pupil reading the most books (lower primary) – Zach Henderson, Kinnard Primary School, Falkirk
• Pupil reading the most books (upper primary) – Ian Hammer – P6, Liberton Primary School, Edinburgh
• School reading the most books – St James’ Primary School, Renfrewshire
• Gaelic medium education reading journey – Goodlyburn Primary School, Perth and Kinross
• School and community partnership reading journey – National Winner – Caol Primary School, Highland
• School and community partnership reading journey – Local Authority winner – Stirling: Kincardine-in-Menteith Primary School and Thornhill Primary
• School and community partnership reading journey – Highly Commended – Newtongrange Primary School, Midlothian
• School reading journey – National Winner – Annette Street Primary School, Glasgow
• School reading journey – Local Authority winner – West Lothian: Knightsridge Primary School, Simpson Primary School, Letham Primary School, Bankton Primary School and St Ninian’s Primary School
• School reading journey – Highly Commended – Kilmaurs Primary School, East Ayrshire

The evaluation of the First Minister’s Reading Challenge was published in March 2018.