A primary school in Essex is harnessing the power of parental involvement to ignite a lifelong passion for reading in its pupils. Larchwood Primary School in Brentwood has launched a regular initiative inviting mums and dads into classrooms to share books with their children.
From World Book Day Success to a Termly Tradition
The popular scheme was born from a highly successful event held for World Book Day, where parents were first welcomed to take part in reading activities. The positive response was so overwhelming that the school leadership decided to make it a permanent fixture. Now, each term, families with children from Reception through to Year 6 are encouraged to visit the school and enjoy books together.
Headteacher Steve Bowsher explained the school's motivation: "We are always looking at new ways to involve our parents and to bring them into school," he said. "The reading with parents event was so successful on World Book Day that we decided to make it a regular thing."
Creating a Cosy Hub for Shared Stories
The school has created a dedicated, inviting space to facilitate these shared reading sessions. Known as 'The Hub', the area is furnished with comfortable bean bags, providing a cosy retreat where families can relax with a wide variety of reading material. Whether it's magazines, picture books, comic books, or graphic novels, the focus is on making reading a joyful, shared experience.
"The children love having their parents come into their classrooms, and so it is a great way to encourage that love of reading," Mr Bowsher added. He emphasised that developing a genuine enthusiasm for reading is a cornerstone of the school's curriculum.
Building Vocabulary and Future Success
The initiative has benefits that extend far beyond the classroom walls. The headteacher highlighted the profound academic impact of daily reading at home. "If you read with your child every day, it is developing vocabulary and means they will succeed at secondary and beyond," he stated.
Seeing so many parents actively participating and sharing in this passion for literacy has been particularly rewarding for the school. The model has proven so effective that Larchwood Primary is now looking to hold similar family engagement events for other subjects in the future.
This community-focused approach underscores a powerful message: when schools and families partner together, children's learning and love for reading can flourish.
