Laxton Junior School has enjoyed a vibrant and inspiring week dedicated to celebrating the joy of reading, fully embracing the National Year of Reading 2026 call to “GO ALL IN!” The week-long programme was thoughtfully organised by

Mrs Kerrie Houghton, Mrs Elme Marais and Ms Andrea Fryatt, whose planning and enthusiasm helped bring an exciting range of activities to life.

Throughout the week, pupils were treated to visits from a different children’s author each day as part of the Oundle Festival of Literature. Hannah Peck, Ross Welford, Steven Vinacour, Teresa Heapy and Jordan Glover all gave up their time to lead engaging workshops with every year group, offering pupils the chance to explore storytelling, ask questions and discover more about the craft of writing.

Creativity continued back in the classroom, where every class took on the challenge of writing and producing their own mathematical storybooks. These imaginative books will soon be shared with parents, showcasing the children’s storytelling skills and cross-curricular learning.

The school’s Charity Committee also played a meaningful part in the celebrations with a successful second‑hand book sale in support of the Whole School Charity, Tasaaga School in Uganda. Families donated generously, helping to raise funds while promoting the importance of re‑using and sharing books. It was lovely to see the happiness on the children’s faces when they found a book which excited them. 

Adding a wellbeing focus to the week, the school’s Wellbeing Ambassadors transformed our recently installed Wellbeing Hut into a peaceful ‘Read Only Zone’, giving pupils a quiet space to relax with a book during breaktimes. Thank you again to our Friends of Laxton Junior School for raising the funds to build this wonderful and relaxing space. 

Meanwhile, the School Council, together with librarian Ms Fryatt, ran a hugely popular ‘Guess the Book Character’ competition, encouraging pupils to put their knowledge of literature to the test. Using a series of props, the children had to put their thinking caps on to work out which if their favourite book characters was being represented.

 

 

 The school’s Book Detectives from Years 2 and 3 were also hard at work, interviewing teachers about their favourite books and discovering new recommendations to  share with the wider school community.

The celebrations culminated in a colourful and joyful World Book Day 2026, with pupils and staff arriving in a wonderful array of costumes inspired by their favourite characters and stories. 

 

Laxton Junior School is proud of the creativity, enthusiasm and community spirit shown throughout the week. A special thank you goes to Mrs Kerrie Houghton, Mrs Elme Marais and Ms Andrea Fryatt for creating an unforgettable celebration of reading that truly captured the spirit of the National Year of Reading’s theme to “GO ALL IN!”.