Royton and Crompton Academy celebrates World Book Day

Staff at Royton and Crompton Academy celebrating World Book Day

E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy has celebrated World Book Day this week.

World Book Day was created by UNESCO in 1995 as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries. 

The World Book Day charity’s Strategy 2023-27 sets out that its aim is “more children, from all backgrounds, developing a life-long habit of reading for pleasure, benefiting from the improved life chances this brings them.”

The charity promotes reading by celebrating the joy of books, authors, illustrators and reading for pleasure, along with transforming attitudes and changing behaviours by providing content to promote reading for fun. 

They also ensure that every child gets to choose a book of their own with the World Book Day £1 books and tokens. 

The Oldham school’s focus for the day was encouraging literacy and oracy and students were encouraged to discuss their favourite books with some being awarded a Golden Ticket for their contributions, which put them in the running to win a Kindle. 

The school also held a big book swap and ran a book in a bag challenge where students had to discuss what they are currently reading.

The National Literacy Trust’s Annual Literacy Survey, recorded the lowest level of reading enjoyment since the trust began its survey in 2005. 

They found that just two in five (43.4%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2023, the lowest level since they first asked the question in 2005. 

The survey also concluded that fewer than 3 in 10 (28.0%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said that they read daily in 2023.  

Andrea Atkinson, Headteacher at E-ACT Royton and Crompton Academy, said: “It was great to see so many activities going on across the school for World Book Day. 

"Encouraging a love of reading is so important and I am so proud of the fact that not only do we run staff and student book clubs, we also have one for parents!”

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.