Spotlight on schools’ top literacy schemes

The annual awards are now open to entries from teachers, support staff and management nominating their top school schemes for developing reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

The awards were launched by members of the judging panel and organisers of the event, the KM Charity Team, at The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge in Canterbury on Tuesday 5 March.

Any Primary or Secondary school can enter - and there is a wide range of categories including most inspiring book corner, best speaking competition, most engaging writing topic and best use of drama.

Literacy Awards Launch (2019) from Inspire Schools on Vimeo.

Karen Brinkman, coordinator of the Kent Literacy Awards, said: “Literacy is absolutely central to what we do and these awards are an important part of our year’s work.

“The aim is to celebrate and share best practice, so educators in Kent can learn about innovative and effective approaches to improving literacy in schools, and to help raise standards and performance across the county.

“The more nominations there are, the greater the diversity of initiatives and approaches we can celebrate and share. So please, please, please get in your nominations now.”

Details of schools’ winning initiatives will be featured in a best practice booklet sent to every school in Kent, Medway, Bexley and Bromley - to inspire others to follow their lead.

Winners will be selected by a judging panel of organisations including Coram Beanstalk, the Crown Foundation, Golding Vision, McCabe Ford Williams, Tribeca Technology Group, the University of Kent, Reed Education, The Education People, EduKit and KM Facilities Management.

Representatives from winning schools will be invited to an awards ceremony at the Hempstead House Hotel in Sittingbourne in July.

The full list of categories:

• Best circle time
• Best home reading initiative
• Most engaging writing topic
• Most effective use of IT to enhance writing
• Most effective use of IT to enhance reading
• Best initiative to encourage speaking and listening skills
• Best use of drama to promote writing, speaking and listening skills
• Best use of art or poetry
• Most successful programme for engaging pupils with English as second language
• Most engaging writing competition or theme
• Best use of cross curricular reading opportunities
• Best use of cross curricular writing
• Best promotion of reading for pleasure
• Best school library
• Most inspiring book corner
• Most engaging book week theme
• Best reward scheme
• Best speaking competition or debating club.

The deadline for entries is noon on Wednesday, May 1. For more information, or to nominate, visit the Kent Literacy Awards website

Contact Details

Karen Brinkman
Telephone: 08442 640291
Email: kbrinkman@thekmgroup.co.uk