“Reading is important because when you read a book, you gain knowledge and information about the past, future and the world today.” – Adam 5H
“Reading regularly improves your life chances as reading is used in many jobs, therefore it is such a useful skill!” – Angelmary 5O

Reading Policy
Reading Overview
Reading Gallery
Dotty the Reading Dog
Some of our Year 1 children had a lovely afternoon meeting Karen and Dotty the reading dog. They were so happy reading to Dotty and talking about their books.
Roald Dahl Day
To celebrate Roald Dahl day this year, each class conducted a scientific investigation based on a Roald Dahl book. The children had lots of fun making lava lamps, fizzy colours and using their footprints to measure their height! Who says learning isn’t fun?
Reading on BBC Radio Stoke!

Some of our Year 6 children have represented St Mary’s Catholic Primary School on BBC Radio Stoke’s book club! The children selected one of their favourite books to read an extract from with some clues to help the audience. I wonder if you can guess which book they chose…? The children also spoke about our wonderful new library! Below is the link for you to listen to – skip to one hour and 39 minutes into the programme and the second part at 1 hour 48 minutes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0bgbyz9
Useful Websites for Home Reading
- Book Trust – Inspire a Love of Reading
Click the link above to access some lovely online reading books
- Love Reading 4 Kids – Sharing Book Love
Click on the link above to browse award winning books, enter competitions and much more…
📚✨ Friday Favourites ✨📚
It’s that time again to celebrate the stories lighting up our classrooms! This week’s favourites are full of friendship, courage and a touch of mischief:
🐻 Paddington had us all laughing with his marmalade mix-ups and polite charm
🐔 Chicken Licken brought big fun with its silly panic and catchy storytelling
🐺 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase thrilled us with mystery, danger and daring escapes
🎓 Final Year sparked thoughtful conversations about growing up, choices and change
💙 Wonder reminded us how powerful kindness can be and why it matters every day
We also had some fantastic teacher’s picks this week – it’s always exciting to see what our teachers are reading too!
Well done, everyone, for another brilliant week of reading. We can’t wait to see what stories you discover next! 🌟📖
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A huge thank you to everyone who visited the Scholastic Book Fayre this week! 📚✨Thanks to your fantastic support and purchases, we have raised an amazing £180 to help stock our school library with even more brilliant books for all to enjoy. 🎉
Here are our librarians sharing some of their top picks from this week before they get snapped up! 📖💫
We could not have done it without all of our amazing families! Happy reading everyone!
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Year 1 had an amazing time visiting Newcastle Library today. We met Terry the librarian, who helped us learn about the library and how to become a member. The children are so excited to join and to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenge!
Parents, all you need to do is pop into the library any time after the 5th of July to enrol your child. Terry also read a really funny story and we even had time to look at books with our friends!
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📚✨ Friday Favourites ✨📚
It’s time once again to shine a spotlight on the stories capturing our children’s imaginations! This week’s picks are bursting with adventure, laughter and plenty of heart:
🦊 Fantastic Mr Fox kept us on the edge of our seats with his clever tricks and daring plans
🐯 I Am a Tiger made us giggle and reminded us it’s okay to be bold and brave
🎆 Dipal’s Diwali gave us a joyful glimpse into a colourful celebration full of light and tradition
🐌 The Snail and the Whale took us on a gentle, moving journey across the world
👑 Goldilocks sparked great discussions about choices, consequences and porridge!
Well done to our brilliant young readers – your love for books continues to inspire us all. Keep exploring, keep reading and keep sharing your favourites! 🌟📖
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📚 Thank you for coming to the Scholastic Book Fayre! 📚
We’re so grateful for your support. Every book you bought helps our school earn free books for the classrooms and library. Your help truly makes all the difference in inspiring a love of reading in our children.
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📚✨ Huge Reading Shout-Out! ✨📚
We're sending a massive well done to our children who have read the most words in their year group this year! 🎉👏
🏆 Oliver (Y3)
🏆 Olivia (Y5)
🏆 Leon (Y4)
🏆 Milan (Y6)
🏆 Mine (Y6) – the top word reader in the whole school! 🌟
Each of these brilliant readers has been rewarded with a £5 book voucher to spend at our Scholastic Book Fayre which will run Friday 13th to Wednesday 18th June after school on the Key Stage 2 Playground! 📖💷
Also, a huge congratulations to 🎉🎉 Oliver in Y6 who has officially read a staggering 2,000,000 words on Accelerated Reader! 🤯📚 What an incredible milestone. Just look at that smile! 😄🎓
Keep turning those pages everyone – we’re so proud of our brilliant bookworms! 🐛💛
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Brilliant! 👍
Discover the Joy of Reading This Summer!
The Summer Reading Challenge is back – and it’s FREE! Created by The Reading Agency and delivered through public libraries, it’s a fun-packed way to keep children reading, learning, and loving books all summer long.
🌱 This year’s theme: Story Garden – where imagination blossoms and stories grow!
📚 Children choose their own books, earn rewards, and receive a certificate or medal when they finish.
🎉 Boosts confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love of reading
👨👩👧👦 Fun for the whole family – visit your local library or join online
📈 95% of children said they read more after taking part!
Get started from 5 July 2025 at 👉 www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk
Let the reading adventure begin! Staffordshire Libraries
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📚✨ Friday Favourites ✨📚
It’s that time of the week again where we celebrate the books that have captured our children’s hearts! This week’s readers have chosen a fantastic mix of fun, friendship, and powerful messages:
💛 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: No Luck had us all laughing along with Greg’s latest antics
🌙 Rameena’s Ramadan gave us a beautifully inclusive look at family and faith
🧡 The Boy in the Dress brought warmth, humour and acceptance
Well done to our brilliant book lovers – we love seeing your enthusiasm shine through each week. Keep reading, keep sharing, and keep inspiring! 🌟📖
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📚 Friday Favourites 📚
It’s been a wonderful week of reading, filled with enchanting adventures and stories that brought plenty of smiles. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed exploring a brilliant selection of books.
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