Local ‘celebs’ mix with literary stars on World Book Day
Anyone going to Vale Primary School yesterday might have thought they had mistakenly turned up in Hogwarts, had it not have been for the ‘local celebrity’ sightings they would have made.
Harry Potter, Wednesday Addams and Matilda were just some of the inspired characters for imaginative costumes worn by pupils and staff members at the local school in celebration of World Book Day.
They hosted more than a dozen local celebrities, who read from selected books to different classes. Among them were Deputy Bailiff Jessica Roland, Dr Nicola Brink, States chief executive Boley Smillie and Guernsey Press editor James Falla.
‘As a school, we spend a lot of time trying to foster a real love of reading, an excitement around reading but also about the importance of reading and how it really is the gateway to all other learning,’ said headteacher Lauren Eyton-Jones.
‘And we just thought that World Book Day was a real opportunity to get high-profile people from the local community to come in and reiterate that message, and show what reading means to them and how important it is in their lives, both personally and professionally.’
Reading a chapter from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory was police chief Damian Kitchen.
‘The children were really engaging and asked lots of great questions,’ he said.
‘I think the best question I got asked was “how did you grow your beard?” I wasn’t prepared for that one.’ Mr Kitchen said he was impressed with the children’s costumes.
‘It was a pleasure to meet them, they were a really good class with amazing costumes, they made a great effort.’
Six-year-old Erin Forman, dressed as Matilda, said she was having a fun day. While Jude Marley, 11, enjoyed Mr Smillie’s reading of The World’s Worst Teachers by David Walliams.
‘I asked him a couple of questions,’ said Jude.
‘One was, if he could change one thing about the island, what would it be? And he said he wanted to change the age of politicians. He said it might be better if younger people went into politics because, obviously, it’s their island.’
Jude came dressed as the main character from one of his favourite novels, I am Rebel, which he said he ‘really recommends’.
Non-fictional characters were also represented. Mrs Eyton-Jones said there were ‘a few from the book series, Little People, Big Dreams’ which inspired nine-year-old Olivia Carter to come dressed as Amelia Earhart.
Dressed as the polar bear from the ‘whole school text’, Leaf by Sandra Dieckmann, Mrs Eyton-Jones said every class in the school was currently studying the story and it was their theme for the day.
The picture book covers topics of friendship and resilience, and pupils had the chance to share their work on it with their parents, who were also invited into school.
‘We created a community feel around the book. Because everybody’s studying it, it’s common language among the children and it gave an opportunity to share meaningful, purposeful work with parents.’
