World Book Day

On Thursday 7th March the staff and students celebrated World Book Day 2024. The national theme this year was “read your way.”

So we wanted to get the whole school talking about what we have read and how “our way” of reading is vital, fulfilling and has played an important part of our lives. We were reflecting on stories that have had an impact on us when we were young children as much as books that have moved us recently.

Making the day such a success was a team effort. Developing a reading community is a core part of our values in the English Faculty but reading for pleasure spans across all subjects studied at school. We want students to make this connection which is why we invited the whole school to celebrate with us on World Book Day. The teachers and staff at Kingsbury rose to the occasion and made this a day we will not forget.

Thank you form tutors for starting the day so positively, focusing the students on the core messages, adding to the excitement with the celebratory quiz. Thanks also to Simon Booker, who visited Years 7,8 and 9 to talk about how he became a published author. “He explained how he is passionate about his profession, how he gets ideas and how we could be writers too” (Jennifer T8N).

Many thanks also to Tracey Fidalgo for organising creative writing and comic book illustrating activities in the Tylers library during the KS3 lunch time. Equally, we would like to thank all teachers across all Faculties for participating in the jigsaw reading (DO NOW activity) that ran throughout the five lessons of the day. KS3 read the macabre science fiction story “Hey You Down There!” and KS4 read the ghostly “The Signal Man” written by Charles Dickens. We have heard that the students really enjoyed this activity: “we were in suspense for what was going to occur next lesson!” (Jennifer T8N).

But the greatest thanks has to be to all the staff and sixth form who went the extra mile and dressed up for the day as a favourite character or author. Their amazing costumes helped create a real buzz of excitement and energy that went around the school. What I loved most was seeing the huge smiles on the faces of the students at Kingsbury as they glimpsed another character from their childhood walk down a hallway or stride into a room to teach them. This day is definitely one of my highlights since I joined Kingsbury High School. We showed everyone how we love reading “our way”. I can’t wait until next year!