Kingsway Park High School to gift every pupil a book for Christmas holidays

There’s nothing quite like getting lost in a good read, and it’s said that no two people ever read the same book.

With this in mind, each student at Kingsway Park High School will be given an experience to remember this Christmas, as school staff wish to give each pupil a book for the Christmas holidays.

Assistant headteacher John Tootill said: “We believe that reading for pleasure benefits children far beyond the class room and in the current situation we want to provide a little extra to ignite our students' imaginations and help them to see beyond the difficulties of the current pandemic situation.

“We want them to experience hot toast and tea with a Narnian Fawn, to experience the Hunger Games with Katniss Everdeen and journey through Middle Earth with Frodo Baggins.

“With help from local people, communities and businesses as well as support from social media we know we can make a difference to young lives this Christmas.”

 

 

There will be four titles per year group and the choice of books has been based on some classics and the biggest sellers in young adult fiction for older pupils.

Mr Tootill added: “What’s been lovely has been the support of national figures and local businesses. Andrew Nutter has been a great support whilst Michael Rosen and Brian Bilston have both retweeted to support. Manchester poet, Mike Garry, whom we’ve worked with often, has also reached out to his followers to support us. The campaign seems to have touched people though: through social media, we’ve had lots of donations and some really positive comments which shows the public strength of feeling.

“Finally, though by no means least, has been the fantastic support from all the staff at Kingsway: they understand the power of reading and they also see the effect that the pandemic has had (and is continuing to have) on our young people and they know that whilst a book is a little thing, it’s everything.”

The Christmas campaign is the culmination of a year that has seen the school drive forward with its ambition to make reading the heart of the school and seen an investment in a brand new school library.

During the extraordinary preparations for the Covid secure opening of the school in September, business manager, Margaret Dooley coordinated the purchase of the stock of brand new, cutting edge fiction and non-fiction titles for the library.

Working tirelessly throughout the summer months, she ensured that the library furniture was delivered, assembled and fully stocked ready for the return of the students.

Year Seven students have begun to use the library on rotations in line with current Covid regulations and the school have plans in place to expand the use of this invaluable resource as soon as they are able.

To donate and give the gift of reading this Christmas, please visit:

• www.justgiving.com/campaign/KingswayChristmasBooks