At Saint Paul’s Catholic High School in Wythenshawe, a love of reading is at the heart of school life—and this passion is being passed on to the newest cohort of students through the Bookbuzz programme.
There is a real buzz in school at the moment as every student in Year 7 received a brand-new book of their choice, courtesy of Bookbuzz. Bookbuzz is a national reading initiative run by The Book Trust; the programme is designed to promote reading for pleasure, encourage independent choice, and foster a vibrant reading culture.
Mrs Irena Savova, School Librarian, shared her enthusiasm:
“As a school, we work hard to encourage a reading-for-pleasure culture and promote a love of books. Choice is central to engaging students with reading, and Bookbuzz offers an excellent selection for them to choose from. It provides a high-quality range of attractive new titles from award-winning authors and really does create a ‘buzz’ about reading—especially because students get their very own book to keep!”
Mr Jamie Sharrock, English Teacher and Literacy Coordinator, echoed this sentiment:
“We are delighted to be taking part in the Bookbuzz programme once again, and our Year 7 students are so excited about choosing their free books. At Saint Paul’s, we firmly believe that reading competence is vital to a student’s success in all areas of life. Reading builds cultural capital, empowers individuals to engage with the world around them, and equips them with the tools to act with agency and independence.”
Mr Mike Whiteside, Head Teacher, highlighted the broader impact of reading:
“Reading is a skill that most of us take for granted, yet it’s essential for getting on in life. As children grow, being able to read well not only helps them learn and discover new facts, but also opens up a world of ideas, stories, and opportunities. Research shows that children who read for pleasure achieve more in later life. All our staff are committed to ensuring that every child becomes an independent and fluent reader during their time at our school. We want our children to enjoy books as much as we do!”
With Bookbuzz, Saint Paul’s continues to champion literacy and inspire a lifelong love of reading among its students.
