{"id":308391,"date":"2026-10-17T01:36:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T01:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/308391\/"},"modified":"2026-10-17T01:36:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T01:36:15","slug":"love-of-reading-key-to-improving-citys-literacy-rates-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/308391\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Love of reading’ key to improving city’s literacy rates"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Peterborough headteacher says allowing children to choose what they want to read is an important part of improving literacy rates.<\/p>\n

St Augustine’s Junior School have been promoting a love of reading in their children, with lessons including making book covers, writing graffiti walls and recording book reviews on tablet devices.<\/p>\n

Peterborough has previously scored below the national average for English rates.<\/a><\/p>\n

In 2026, 77% of children at St Augustine’s achieved the expected reading rate, above the national average of 75%.<\/p>\n

2026 is the National Year of Reading, an initiative set up by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to improve reading rates.<\/p>\n

‘We encourage everyone to read what interests them’\"A<\/p>\n

Headteacher Sam Brunt says it’s important children enjoy what they read [Martin Giles\/BBC]<\/p>\n

“The traditional way of every child sitting down with the same reading book might be a little bit old school now” says Sam Brunt.<\/p>\n

“We encourage everyone to read what interests them, whether that’s a recipe book, whether that’s a non-fiction book or a traditional story novel, anything that gets them interested.”<\/p>\n

Those comments are echoed by year six class teacher Stefano Rocchio: “Reading is kind of the backbone of what we do in school, without reading they are going to struggle with a lot of the other aspects of the curriculum.<\/p>\n

“We try and incorporate reading into everything that we do in school, promoting it through reading cafes, activities and weekly reading sessions.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Year six teacher Stefano Rocchio says reading is the ‘backbone’ to the rest of the curriculum [Martin Giles\/BBC]<\/p>\n

The children say they enjoy choosing which books to read and show lots of diverse tastes.<\/p>\n

Isha picked out ‘The Boy in the Dress’ and says: “It’s funny and sad. It’s like a comic and you have lots of laughs. This was my first ever thick book I read.”<\/p>\n

Annesha enjoys reading a book about artist Frida Kahlo, from the children’s biography series ‘Little People, Big Dreams.’ She says it’s because she ‘likes art and the pictures.’<\/p>\n

Zina is challenging herself with a longer mystery book called ‘Tunnels.’<\/p>\n

“I really like murder mystery books which sometimes make me cry, this one made me cry a bit when I first read it.”<\/p>\n

Leja is reading a Horrible Histories book called ‘The Woeful Second World War.’<\/p>\n

“It’s very interesting and gives lots of facts about the Second World War.”<\/p>\n

\"Four<\/p>\n

Year six children from left Isha, Annesha, Zina and Leja have different tastes in reading material. [Martin Giles\/BBC]<\/p>\n

The National Literacy Trust has been working with the Department of Education to run ‘The National Year of Reading’ in 2026.<\/p>\n

They have been working in cities like Peterborough, where they run activities to promote reading, including working with Peterborough United<\/a>.<\/p>\n

That work has been supported by Peterborough City Council. Katy Cole, the Labour cabinet member for children and young people, says it has been a great help across some of the city’s deprived wards.<\/p>\n

“In areas where they have been focusing their efforts we have seen a real improvement in the love, the joy, the enthusiasm and the engagement with reading.”<\/p>\n

\"Katy<\/p>\n

Katy Cole, the cabinet member for children and young people at Peterborough City Council says the Year of Reading has seen an increase in children enjoying books [Martin Giles\/BBC]<\/p>\n

However, the council has faced financial pressures recently, and they consulted on closing a number of their smaller local libraries around the city.<\/p>\n

They included Woodston library, which is a short walk from St Augustine’s school and facilitates regular visits from the pupils.<\/p>\n

A decision was eventually made to keep them open after a number of local campaigns.<\/a><\/p>\n

Jennie Storey, the Chair of the Friends of Woodston Library says libraries are ‘a magical place’ and the children are always ‘smiling, laughing and reading’ when they visit.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Jennie Storey chairs the ‘Friends of Woodston library’ who work with the junior school [Martin Giles\/BBC]<\/p>\n

The importance of reading for young children is often best summed up by parents.<\/p>\n

Katie Rose has had her first children’s book published called ‘The Monster Story’.<\/p>\n

She made up the story for her four year old daughter when she was waiting for an operation. She says it’s really important that parents get involved in reading too:<\/p>\n

“It’s just that time together, you sit there together and you pick up a book and you cuddle. It’s one of our favourite times of the day.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Katie Rose wrote her first children’s book to help her young daughter [Martin Giles\/BBC]<\/p>\n

Do you have a story suggestion for Peterborough? Contact us below.<\/p>\n

BBC Politics East will be broadcast on Sunday 11 October at 10:00 GMT on BBC One in the East of England, and will be available after broadcast on BBC iPlayer.<\/p>\n

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