World Book Day and Canvey Reads Together

Mr Knowland
February 22, 2017

The week commencing Monday 27th February promises to be an exciting week for literacy at the Cornelius Vermuyden. You may have heard or seen posters about a Canvey-wide community project entitled Canvey Reads Together, the aim of which is to promote a love of books as well as reading and writing, not just in the classroom, but between friends and families. Throughout the week our pupils will be preparing pieces of written work based on the project’s theme of Heroes and Superheroes, to be displayed in the Knightswick Shopping Centre. There is also the opportunity for families to produce their own short story together on any topic, the only rule being that it takes no longer than two minutes to read. So please, get writing, your son or daughter’s English teacher is waiting for your story! Our favourites will be published on the school website.

World Book Day is on the 2nd March, and we have numerous events planned. The young persons’ author, Roy Apps, will be giving a series of workshops helping to promote an interest in reading and also to improve their own creative writing. There will be a book themed cake sale during both breaks and a raffle ticket will be given with each cake bought. Cakes will be 50P each and the prize will be one of Roy’s books, chosen by the pupil and signed by the author. There is also the opportunity for pupils to purchase signed copies of Roy Apps’ books, details of which have been given to pupils by their English teacher.

Roy Apps is a British screenwriter, dramatist and children’s author. In 2001 Roy Apps was awarded a personal BAFTA for outstanding contributions to children’s film and television.

Some of our pupils have volunteered to take part in a sponsored Readathon, and will sit quietly and read as part of a relay team during the day. Proceeds from the Readathon and the cake sale will go to Youngminds, a charity which promotes mental health and wellbeing for young people.

There are a host of other activities in school and in the wider community, so please take a look at the flyer. Taking part in any of the activities also counts as a stamp in the Children’s University passport, so remind your son or daughter to take their passport, or ask for a temporary one in the school Media Resource Centre (MRC), if they take part in this programme.

I’m sure you will agree that reading is something we should all promote and enjoy in order to succeed in life. For that reason we feel passionately about the value of reading at the Cornelius Vermuyden. So please, encourage, enjoy and participate yourselves in Canvey Reads Together and World Book Day next week.

On a final note, younger siblings at primary schools will be dressing up on Friday 3rd march. This is only for primary pupils and we are not taking part in this event as we have mock examinations for KS4 pupils during the week.

Thank you for your support and enjoy the week!

Mr Knowland