Reading and books are being celebrated at Highfields to mark World Book Day 2021.

The annual event aims to promote reading for pleasure and celebrates everything to do with books, including the authors, illustrators and the children who read them.

Usually the world of make believe is brought to life in school as students and staff dress as their favourite fictional characters to celebrate the event.

And, despite the Covid pandemic putting a stop to this year’s elaborate celebrations, the school has found ways of igniting a lifelong love of reading among students.

Some students and staff still took the opportunity to dress up for the day, on Thursday 4th March, while the idea that ‘reading is power’ was explored during English lessons. As part of the theme, a variety of interactive and online resources were used to encourage students to read a wide range of interesting and challenging texts, while teachers talked about their favourite books and shared extracts from their favourite childhood stories and poems.

As part of the World Book Day celebrations - organised by Head of Communications Learning School, Mrs K Allen - students are also being invited to take part in a competition for the chance to win £30 worth of book vouchers.

Twenty-three members of staff - one for each letter of the alphabet - have posed behind their favourite books for the Who’s Behind The Book? competition. Students are being invited to guess who the mystery readers are for the chance of winning the prize. Entry forms have been emailed out and must be returned to KAllen@hswv.co.uk by Friday 12th March.

This year marks the 24th year of World Book Day, which is acknowledged globally in more than 100 countries across the world.

The World Book Day charity, along with National Book Tokens Ltd, offers 15 million £1 book tokens to children nationally - one for almost every child under the age of 18 in the country - every year.

For more information about the list of books on offer with World Book Day tokens, click here.