Summer reading supported with free books

Year-four pupils in the Arun district have been encouraged to read during the school summer holiday.
Businesses were urged to donate funds to ensure every year-four pupil in the constituency received a bookBusinesses were urged to donate funds to ensure every year-four pupil in the constituency received a book
Businesses were urged to donate funds to ensure every year-four pupil in the constituency received a book

Free books were provided through the Read to Succeed scheme, introduced by Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb.

He visited River Beach Primary School in Littlehampton earlier this year to launch the reading challenge, encouraging the children to keep reading over the summer break.

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Mr Gibb said: “Learning to read independently is one of the most important things a child can do to set them up for later life. Schools do a wonderful job reading with children in class but it is important that children keep this up over the long summer break.

Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb with pupils at River Beach Primary School in LittlehamptonBognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb with pupils at River Beach Primary School in Littlehampton
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton MP Nick Gibb with pupils at River Beach Primary School in Littlehampton

“I am always impressed with the commitment to reading at River Beach when I visit the school. I hope all the students will enjoy their free book and be inspired to read at home over the holidays.”

Businesses and others in the community were urged to donate funds, prizes and books to ensure every year-four pupil in the constituency received a book.

Year four was chosen because eight to nine years old is the age when many children start to read independently.

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Each book included a token to take to the library to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge, which runs across the country.

Mr Gibb attended a Summer Reading Challenge drop-in reception in Parliament to show his support for children’s reading and to discuss his scheme, which was inspired by fellow MP Steve Barclay, who ran a similar initiative in Cambridgeshire.

Mr Gibb added: “Here in West Sussex, we have an excellent library service and one of the highest participation numbers of the library Summer Reading Challenge in the country.

“I am very pleased to be working in participation with Russell Allen, team manager of children’s services at West Sussex Country Council, on this new scheme to encourage children to read at home.”

Visit www.nickgibb.org.uk/campaigns/read-succeed for more information.

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