St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Bath strengthened its commitment to reading for pleasure this World Book Day through a series of author visits made possible with the support of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in the city centre.
Photo © Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust
Since opening in 2006, Mr B’s has twice been named as the UK’s best independent bookshop and in 2015 was recognised by The Guardian as one of the ten best bookshops in the world.
Through the partnership, pupils at St Mary’s, which is part of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, have benefited from opportunities to meet and engage with visiting authors, bringing stories and ideas vividly to life.
Nicole Pecchia, headteacher at St Mary’s, said: “We are passionate about creating a genuine culture of reading at St Mary’s.
“Our partnership with Mr B’s has given our children the invaluable experience of meeting authors and hearing firsthand about the creative process behind the books they love. These visits inspire our pupils to see themselves as readers, writers and storytellers.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support that has helped make these opportunities possible.”
Helen Taylor, CEO of the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust, said: “World Book Day is a powerful reminder of the transformative impact reading can have on a child’s life.
“We are proud to see our schools developing confident, articulate young readers who value books both for learning and for pleasure.”
There are 13 schools in the Dunstan Catholic Educational Trust. Locally, they also include St John’s in Oldfield Lane in Bath and St Benedict’s in Midsomer Norton.
