Holding space for reading for pleasure

Join the second in a year-long series of twice-termly professional development webinars for primary schools.

About this webinar

Join us for this national practitioner-facing event as part of the National Year of Reading, a national movement to unlock the life-changing benefits of reading. This is the second part of our series of twice-termly professional development sessions. These free events will incorporate practical tools, national moments, shared reading experiences and flexible engagement so schools can participate in ways that fit their context.

This session, Holding space for reading for pleasure, explores how schools can create time, space and social connection around reading within the realities of busy classrooms.

Why attend this webinar?

Supporting pupils in primary school to be confident, motivated and engaged readers is vital to learning and life outcomes. We know how much teachers are already doing to enhance their schools' reading cultures, and our aim is to provide additional support where needed. This webinar offers practical, evidence-informed strategies to make reading visible, social and valued in everyday school life. It’s an opportunity to deepen your school’s role in the national movement and connect with peers committed to realistic, sustainable change.

Who can attend?

We invite primary headteachers, literacy leads, class teachers, librarians and reading champions working with children aged 4 to 11.

Aims of this webinar

• Strengthen understanding of the relational and environmental foundations of reading for pleasure.
• Build confidence in supporting informal book talk in busy classrooms.
• Help schools know their readers more deeply.
• Explore practical ways to protect time and space for reading.
• Connect schools with research-informed, realistic practice.

Intended outcomes

By the end of the webinar, participants will:

• Feel confident to create opportunities for informal book talk.
• Have practical ideas for building social reading moments.
• Be able to reflect on and improve the physical reading environment.
• Feel empowered to protect and prioritise reading time.
• Be ready to adapt existing practice without increasing workload.

Register for the event

Join us to explore new ways to create a reading for pleasure environment.

Events in this series are free and available to all primary schools. Sign up using the form below.