Rather than centring the celebrations solely on World Book Day costumes, the school placed strong emphasis on books, authors and meaningful engagement with literature.
The programme, organised by Mrs Kerrie Houghton, Mrs Elme Marais and Ms Andrea Fryatt, featured a range of events aimed at inspiring pupils to read for pleasure and deepen their understanding of storytelling. Throughout the week, the school welcomed five visiting children’s authors , Teresa Heapy, Jordan Glover, Steven Vinacour, Ross Welford and Hannah Peck, each delivering workshops to all year groups. Their sessions allowed pupils to explore how stories are created, ask questions about the writing process and develop their own ideas as young readers and writers.
In addition to meeting authors, pupils took part in a whole‑school project to write and produce their own mathematical storybooks. This cross‑curricular initiative encouraged creativity, problem‑solving and collaboration, with the finished books set to be shared with parents later in the term.
The school’s Charity Committee supported the week with a successful second‑hand book sale in aid of Laxton Junior School’s partner charity, Tasaaga School in Uganda. Families contributed generously, helping to raise funds while promoting the value of re‑using and sharing books.
Elsewhere on site, the school’s Wellbeing Ambassadors transformed the Wellbeing Hut into a peaceful “Read Only Zone”, offering pupils a quiet space to enjoy books during breaktimes. The School Council, together with librarian Ms Fryatt, also ran a well‑received “Guess the Book Character” competition, which invited pupils to test their knowledge of familiar literary figures.
Adding to the celebrations, pupils in Years 2 and 3 took on the role of Book Detectives, interviewing staff about their favourite books and gathering recommendations to share with the wider school community.
The week culminated in a colourful recognition of World Book Day 2026, with pupils and staff arriving dressed as much‑loved literary characters.
Mrs Kerrie Houghton, Head of English, said the week reflected the school’s ongoing commitment to fostering a deep and lasting enthusiasm for books. “We wanted our pupils to experience reading as something rich, meaningful and exciting,” they said. “The activities throughout the week offered opportunities not only to enjoy stories, but to understand them, create them and share them.”
Laxton Junior School described the programme as a great success and extended thanks to the authors, staff and pupils who contributed to a memorable and inspiring celebration of reading.
7. Contributed
Our book detectives finding out more about our teachers' favourite books Photo: Submitted