Pupils in Stoke-on-Trent are taking part in a creative new competition in the run up to the Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival.
As part of the Stoke Reads campaign from the National Literacy Trust and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, primary and secondary school pupils across the city have been challenged to design a plate inspired by their favourite read. Entries can be based on characters or scenes from books, poems, plays or magazines, and must showcase pupils’ understanding and enjoyment of the text.
Three winning designs will be brought to life at the Emma Bridgewater Factory and displayed at the Stoke-on-Trent Literary Festival, which is taking place from 8 to 10 June 2017. The winners will also be able to enjoy an experience day at the factory with their family.
Entries will be judged in three age categories, Years 1 to 4, Years 5 to 7, and Years 8 to 11, with the winners chosen by Emma Bridgewater. A runner up in each category will receive book tokens to inspire their next read.
Emma Bridgewater said:
“I’m excited to see lots of designs inspired by what young people from this extraordinarily creative city love to read. The joy of reading is a great thing to share and one of the main reasons we began our Literary Festival at the Factory and why all local schools can enjoy our events with top name authors for free. We really looking forward to welcoming pupils from all over Stoke-on-Trent to the Festival this summer.”
Jason Vit, National Literacy Trust Hubs Manager said:
“Our research shows that reading enjoyment and attainment are closely linked – children who enjoy reading very much are three times more likely to read above the level expected for their age than those who don’t enjoy reading at all.
“Stoke-on-Trent has a rich history of creativity and we know that art and design can be a successful way of engaging pupils in reading for pleasure. We are looking forward to seeing the Stoke pupils’ creative interpretations of the books, plays and magazines they’ve enjoyed.”
Councillor Janine Bridges, Stoke-on-Trent City Council cabinet member for education and economy, said:
“We are passionate about giving our young people every opportunity to read and learn by encouraging them to design a plate based on their learning experiences. It is a fun way to drive up literacy levels across the city and give young people the skills that will serve them well in succeeding in their future careers.
“We have a proud cultural heritage and our young people have a part to play in this in the areas of creative design and literacy. The initiative will enhance our bid to be the UK City of Culture in 2021.”
Emma Wagg, Literacy Lead at Trentham High School in Stoke-on-Trent, said:
“This competition will allow students to show their love for books through creative design. We are looking forward to this collaboration between art and literacy in our school.”
The Stoke Reads campaign is part of the Stoke-on-Trent Literacy Hub, which has been developed by the National Literacy Trust and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, delivered in partnership with the City Learning Trust. The Hub encompasses a range of innovative projects and partnerships with local services, libraries, businesses and schools.