Longden CE Primary School was originally awarded its status as a Leading in Reading school in 2019.
As this status lasts for three years, they successfully applied again to renew their position as a Leading in Reading school in 2022.
Following another visit by representatives from the University Centre Shrewsbury and Shropshire Bookfest, Head Teacher Chris Tay and teacher Karen Rogers were presented with the school’s new certificate and plaque at the annual Shropshire Bookfest conference for teachers on 16 November 2022.
Once again, the staff at Longden CE Primary School had clearly demonstrated evidence of an inclusive approach to running a reading project across the school, has an active school library and demonstrated commitment to providing pupils with a wide range of quality, contemporary and classic reading material that is regularly reviewed and refreshed.
This was the report from the first visit to the school in 2019 which pushed the school into the limelight as a Leading in Reading school:
The Head Teacher, Chris Tay, has a refreshing approach to reading and I was impressed to see how involved he was in the school’s reading culture.
The pupils here were particularly enthusiastic in their praise of Chris’s dramatic renditions of stories – they could recall numerous examples of books that they had enjoyed him reading. What I particularly liked about the approach at Longden was the commitment in fitting in reading time wherever possible. Reading seems to be a constant activity at Longden, with time set aside in the morning, lunchtime and at the end of the day for reading activities. The children were reading a vast array of books and their enthusiasm for their reading matter was unbounded.
Dr Lucy Andrew – Lecturer in English Literature and Programme Leader BA (Hons) English at University Centre Shrewsbury. November 2019
“In a situation where curriculum is constantly under pressure, the Leading in Reading award represents a timely recognition for those courageous schools where good test results are the unintended by-product, and not the intended purpose, of a good education. Where traditional sources of support for good education have sadly been reduced to an agenda of compliance, partnerships with organisations like Shrewsbury Bookfest become vital to schools seeking inspiring and sustaining means of improving teaching and learning.”
Chris Tay – Head Teacher
Registered Charity Number: 1120177
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