Lots of schools have been in touch to tell us about their school events. You can find out what they got up to by clicking on the school names below.
Read about Big Read events held on 22nd April and how schools involved local leaders.
We hope these stories inspire you. Don't forget to get in touch and let us know what you have been doing for the BIG READ campaign!
Ponteland High School
Ponteland Community High School hosted a visit from a UK government Minister, Ivan Lewis, as part of their Big Read event. Student Helen Smith, aged 17, sent us this report:
“Students at Ponteland Community High School took part in the Global Campaign for Education’s Big Read and travelled to Westerhope Primary School to get their pupils involved too.
We created various activities for the primary school pupils including a We’re Going on a Bear Hunt drama activity based on the book by Michael Rosen and storytelling in Spanish and French. We also worked with the children to help them create images of schools from around the world and create a list of items that should be in a less developed school. As a group we encouraged all the pupils to complete the Number 10 front door template and write some powerful words on them to send to Gordon Brown.
At Ponteland Community High School we’ve been learning about the Campaign through assemblies and many of our students have also completed the Number 10 doors and are ready to send them to Gordon Brown. Due to our interest and our enthusiasm for the campaign we were very lucky to receive a visit from Minister Ivan Lewis, the Under Secretary of State for International Development. He was very pleased to hear about how interested we all were in the development of education around the world and the work our school has done to help education in the developing parts of the world.
In 2000 world leaders made a promise to ensure that a primary education is provided for all children by the year 2015. Ivan Lewis was very optimistic that this is an achievable goal and was very enthusiastic about the challenge to make the change within education. After an enjoyable day I left feeling very privileged to have met Ivan Lewis and discussed these issues with him. We can all see now how important education is worldwide. I and the other students at Ponteland Community High School believe that together we can make a difference.”
Swanhurst School
“On the 22nd of April year seven, eight and nine had a great lesson. We joined in with schools all across the U.K for The Big Read and the Send My Friend to school campaign.
We watched a funny video of our teachers reading lots of different books that they liked. Then we learnt about how lucky and privileged we are to have an education in a good school. But for many children across the world life is the complete opposite. Lots of young children are sent out to work at such young ages, just to stay with their families.
So then we had a read and thought about how privileged we are to have the ability to do that.
Then we had the big chance to write to Gordon Brown and remind him that he made a promise. In 2015 all children will have a primary education.
Mister Brown can ignore one of us but not all of us.”
by Annie Crowe
"We wrote a letter to Gordon Brown which mentioned our opinions and our strong beliefs on how much the big read means to us. Also we reminded him about his promise on how much he needs to stick to his promise and find other ways to improve the amount of people who will get an education. We wrote this letter because we wanted him to know that if he didn’t have a good education he would not be the prime minister and every child dreams to be wealthy and have a good future ahead of them.
There’s over 75 million people in the world that don’t have an education and a reminder that Gordon Brown promised to get everyone an education in primary school by 2015 and hope he sticks to that promise because everyone deserves a good education and needs valuable skills for the future."
by Sara Khalid & Naila Khan
Portsmouth High School Juniors
22nd April was a great day. I didn’t think it was possible to have so many people visit school in one day. We arrived at school and everything seemed normal but at assembly we got to know that 75 million children don’t get to go to school. It even happens in this country but mostly in poorer countries. It especially happens to girls like us that they can’t go to school. I thought that wasn’t very fair. I read about a big problem in Afghanistan where some people called the Taleban say that women aren’t very important and they are not allowed to go to school. Gordon Brown should be able to pay out some more money so that all the children around the world can have some education and learn to read.
To help us think about that we had lots of famous visitors come to school. Portsmouth Football Club came and I shook the hand of their mascot called Nelson. Ali Sparkes came in and read part of her new book. This was my favourite part of the day as I also got two books signed by her. We then listened to Sean Beech who has written a book called the Ice Crown. He played creative thinking games with us.
Finally we coloured pictures of the door to the prime minister’s house and wrote to him asking him to help. It was a fantastic day!
By Kate Perry-Evans and Alexandra Geraghty, age 8 (pictured with their reading books)
Churchtown Primary School
The whole school had a super day creating doors online and designing doors to send to Gordon Brown. The younger pupils loved designing doors online. The older pupils were keen to discuss their views with John Pugh, our local MP.
John Pugh MP for Southport, toured our school and chatted to children about the global campaign which our school has been involved with since the beginning. He then had his photograph taken with some Y3 pupils and their doors.
We hope the campaign continues to be a success.
Linda Caton
PSHE/Healthy Schools Co-ordinator
Aldersbrook Primary School
The children of Aldersbrook Primary School, Wanstead invited their local MP Harry Cohen to come into school to hear their powerful messages and to deliver their messages to 10 Downing Street.
Stonehill School
At Stonehill in Doncaster, Key Stage 2 had a great day on April 22nd for the Big Read.
We read stories depicting diversity, had an assembly, made a display, wrote to the Prime Minister and had a competition to show the best decorated No 10 card. We made a wish tree for global education. We wrote to our ministers for parliament and received several replies.
Sue Endicott
The Piggott School
During the week leading up to the Big Read an assembly was held with every year group, using the DVD from the School Education Pack. Thoughts for the week were prepared and sent out to all tutor groups giving further information on the campaign and encouraging all pupils to colour in a card to No 10 Downing Street with a message for Gordon Brown.
On the 22nd April we invited all pupils to come to breakfast at 8.00pm and listen to the Michael Morporgo story whilst colouring cards and writing messages. 42 pupils turned up to take part and we had a brilliant time!
Thank you for all the materials you sent to us. It was an inspiring week.
Maggie Urwin, Deputy Headteacher
The Piggott School, Wargrave, Reading
Burntisland Primary School
We did a reading relay using our doors, favourite novels and poems in class. Primary Fives, Primary Sixes and Primary One all did different events as well connected to writing their doors and the Big Read book!
We sent our doors off to Gordon Brown, who is our local MP, as well as being the Prime Minister.
Andrew McNeil
Citizenship Coordinator
Heathfield Junior School
Every child at Heathfield Junior School took part in the ‘The Big Read’ on Wednesday 22nd April. The Big Read is part of a huge event in 100 countries. The theme is the importance of literacy and how the ability to read and write opens doors for all children. In 2000, world leaders promised that every child in the world would complete a quality education by 2015, but over 70 million children still don’t have the opportunity to go to school. After reading inspiring words from influential people such as Nelson Mandela and Michael Morpurgo, the children wrote personal messages for the Prime Minister on the door of 10 Downing Street, asking him to keep the promise of education for all. The children were very enthusiastic about the campaign, and will be sending the doors to Gordon Brown.
Jessica Mitchell
Literacy Coordinator
Old Clee School
The attachment shows some examples of our children's work. All children from nursery
to year 6 were involved (that's 594 children!)
I was amazed at how strongly the children felt and how even the little ones expressed empathy. It was great to be able to give the children the chance to have their voices heard and the chance to make a difference.
Old Clee School Pupils’ Work
Many thanks,
Helen Baxter, Old Clee School
St Christopher School
A very successful day. Used all your wonderful resources. The whole of our junior school took part – 150 children.
We watched the dvd in assembly, recapped on our participation in previous year, which has grown from just one class to the whole school, then each class followed up.
It has been great to see how the different year groups have approached it. Some have written about how important education is and what they gain by it; some have looked at the case studies and written about real examples and some have used the Big Read book and written stories and poems. Some have used the photocopy of the door and some have done the online version.
We now have a wonderful colourful display (before sending them off to No, 10). Next week the children will read a selection of them out in assembly.
Anne Holland
St Christopher school, Letchworth
Our Lady of the Missions Primary School
On Wednesday 22 April, children from Our Lady of the Missions Primary School in Thornliebank, Glasgow, participated in the Big Read campaign. Primary 7 classes worked extremely hard to take over from the teachers and provide lessons for the rest of the school, which raised awareness about the promise world leaders made to get every child in the world a free primary education by the year 2015.
The Primary 7 children planned lessons incorporating puppet shows, stories, plays, poems and more. After lots of practising, the Primary 7s were then allowed to be the teachers for part of the afternoon to spread their word and help the other children realise what a privilege education is. Each child in the school was then asked to write or illustrate their own powerful messages and thoughts about the campaign. These will be posted to Gordon Brown to remind him that the promise made will not be fulfilled if further efforts are not made.
“This campaign has taught us that we should take our education seriously and not take it for granted.” Aisha Hussain, Primary 7
“Overall, everyone who was involved learnt a powerful lesson and really enjoyed being taught by children instead of teachers for a change!” Louise Swan, Primary 7
