The National Year of Reading 2026

The National Year of Reading 2026 is special, created to help children and adults in the UK enjoy reading more. Everyone is encouraged to explore all kinds of stories, books, comics, magazines, websites, and even audiobooks. with the theme "Go All In."

Throughout the year, the children of St. Mary's will enjoy reading as a tool for growing, learning, and slowing down.

We will share some of our experiences with you, such as library trips, reading cafes, and more.

Why is it happening now?

A 2025 report from the National Literacy Trust found that only 1 in 3 people aged 8-18 enjoyed reading in their free time, and 1 in 4 said they didn't enjoy reading at all.

Reading is not just about enjoying stories; it can also:

* Improve your well-being

* Improve your vocabulary and how you talk with others

* Help how you think and orgainse your ideas

* Help you relax

* Improve your imagination

Congratulations Reading Stars

Fleetwood Town have successfully delivered an engaging Premier League Reading Stars programme, inspiring young people to discover the joy of reading through football-themed activities. The programme introduced a wide range of books, from exciting sports stories and biographies to comics, fact books, and fiction, helping pupils see that reading can match their interests. It also encouraged children to explore different genres and learn how to choose books that suited their preferences—whether by looking at the cover, reading the blurb, or trying recommendations from friends and teachers—building confidence and a lasting love of reading.  Well done to everyone who took part.

Premier League Reading Stars 

In our session today, we talked about how we choose our reading books.  We talked about the blurb and whether we would be interested in the book after reading the first few pages.  We also spoke about how if we find more than five words tricky on the first page then the book might be too difficult for us. 

Storytelling Week

As part of Storytelling Week, our Year 6 children shared their favourite childhood stories with the Reception classes, creating some truly special moments. The older pupils loved revisiting the books they once enjoyed, while the Reception children listened with wide eyes and big smiles. It was wonderful to see such kindness, confidence, and enthusiasm as stories were brought to life. Everyone had a lot of fun, and the experience reminded us just how powerful and joyful sharing stories can be.

Planning a Flashback

In English, we are writing a flashback for Felix, the main character in the book Once. We have taken the opportunity to read some examples and gathered ideas to help us plan our own flashback. Using our imagination and creativity, we are thinking about his life before the orphanage and what memories he might have. This helps us explore his feelings and experiences, and lets us bring the story to life in our own words.  We enjoyed reading the examples and opening up our imagination.

Superstar Readers

Zion class have now finished their mini reading comprehension book from CGP SATs Buster. They have really enjoyed working with the short texts, reading them carefully, and discussing them as a class. Analysing the stories and information together has helped them to understand the texts better and has improved their confidence in answering different types of questions.

Reading Cafe

Today, the children in Zion class visited the Reception class for their Reading Café. They shared stories and read together with the Reception children, and they absolutely loved the experience. It was a lovely opportunity to build confidence, friendships, and a love for reading.

Children from the Cana class are attending Fleetwood Library to support their learning and encourage a love of reading. The library offers access to a diverse range of books, educational resources, and a quiet study space that complements the classroom learning experience. These visits also help children develop important research and information skills, learn how to use community resources responsibly, and become more confident and independent learners. By attending the local library, our children will strengthen their connection to the community while enriching their educational experience.

World Book Day 2026

This year, for World Book Day, we are celebrating the inspiring book series Little People, BIG DREAMS, which tells the true stories of extraordinary people who all started life as ordinary children with big dreams.

Through these books, pupils explore biographies and non-fiction, discovering how real people overcame challenges and worked hard to make a difference in the world. The series introduces children to inspiring figures such as Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and Albert Einstein. Their stories show how determination, courage, and kindness can help people overcome barriers and achieve great things.

This theme also connects to our journey towards becoming a School of Sanctuary, where we celebrate that everyone belongs. No matter where we come from, our background, or the challenges we face, we all have the potential to dream big and make a positive impact on the world.

Through reading these inspiring biographies, we hope to encourage our pupils to enjoy non-fiction, raise their aspirations, and remember that every great achievement begins with a dream. 🌟

Thank you for the lovely comments about our phonics party!

Harper’s Parents- We really enjoyed the fun activities! Harper enjoyed it a lot, and we can also do the activities at home with her 🙂

Tyler’s Parents-

I thought the phonics party was very useful & now I know what Tylon is learning at school, I can do the same with him at home.

Roman'd Mum-

I really enjoyed it, and it was lovely. Roman was so excited to see me at school and show me around. I think it’s a really lovely idea to involve parents and give them an idea of how the children learn. Roman's reading is coming along really well.

Isla’s Mum-

I really enjoyed the phonics party, especially the play-dough activity, which I will continue to do with Isla at home. And I found the special friend (words) interesting, as I've been working with Isla on her letters and reading on a daily basis at home. 😀

Alora Dad’s-

It gave me insight into how they are learning their phonics. Alora loves it when we do work and crafts together, she said it was her favourite part of the day. I found out that she needs more help with the double letter phonics ( eek, ch, sh, etc), which I will practice more at home, but she was very good at the 1 letter phonics.

Agatha’s Mum-

We loved the phonics party. It gave me some great ideas to do with Agatha, making phonics fun and crafty, not just about the reading!

Zion Class Novel

In Zion class, we are reading Once by Morris Gleitzman, which links closely to our History topic on World War II. The story helps us understand what life was like for Jewish children during the Holocaust and shows the fear, bravery, and hope people experienced at that time. By following Felix’s journey, we can better imagine the real struggles families faced and connect the events in the book to what we are learning about WWII in history.

School of Sanctuary Reading

We have a wonderful selection of books linked to our School of Sanctuary that we enjoy reading in the reading den. These books help us learn about kindness, respect, and understanding others while also being fun and interesting to read. The reading den is a calm and welcoming space where we can relax and explore new stories together.