Getting Boys Reading
Thursday 25th November
2010
Last week saw an exciting event where over
seventy boys from schools across the Borough, together with their
families, friends and teachers, filled the hall at St. Thomas More
Catholic Upper School. The event took place to celebrate the ‘Get
Boys Reading’ initiative, which has been operating in St.
Gregory’s, Beauchamp, Goldington and Newnham Middle Schools.
The Get Boys Reading programme is a
borough-wide initiative which aims to improve boys’ attitudes to
reading and to raise their achievement, as well as promoting
reading as an enjoyable, rewarding pastime.
Each boy received a ‘Get Boys Reading’
certificate for one of the following categories; participation,
excellence, endeavour or progression. The certificates were
presented by Chris Hilliard, Executive Director for Children’s
Services, Schools and Families for Bedford Borough Council.
Cllr David Sawyer, Portfolio Holder for
Children’s Services, at Bedford Borough Council, said: “Improving
standards of reading is critical if children are to be able to
access the whole school curriculum. Reading skills enhance overall
standards of achievement and attainment and I would like to add my
personal congratulations to all the children involved in this
successful event.”
Certificates of Merit were also presented to
the children from Goldington Green Lower School for writing,
editing and producing their own newspaper, ‘The Goldington Gleaner’
as part of their Black History Month celebrations. The Children
read out a selection of articles from their newspaper and Sixth
Form students from St. Thomas More Catholic Upper School read a
varied selection of poetry and prose.