The Weald Book Award

The Weald Book Award started in 2009 with Year 6 reading groups from Billingshurst Primary School, St Mary's C of E (Aided) Primary School (Pulborough), Loxwood Primary School, and Wisborough Green Primary, together with a small group of keen readers in our Year 7. Since then, we have expanded to include Shipley CE Primary School, Kirdford & Plaistow Primary School, Slinfold CE Primary School and Pre-School, William Penn Primary School (Horsham), Barns Green Primary School, and Rudgwick Primary School.

Each year in July, the teachers from the primary schools meet to discuss the long list of books put together by Mrs Fella, LRC Manager and Miss McKenna, Teacher of English. They choose six books they think will appeal to the students; they also decide on the competitions that will be included in The Weald Book Award.

From September, the students start reading the shortlisted books in class or reading groups in their schools. During the Book Award, we have several events in the LRC that the Year 6 students join us for:

• November: we have a discussion about the books the students have been reading

• January: one of the authors comes to talk about their book and what inspired them to write the story.

• February: all the competitions are judged and the votes for the winning author and their book are counted.

• March (prior to World Book Day): we hold The Weald Book Award Ceremony in the LRC. The students who have taken part in the award, their teachers and parents are invited to attend. Prizes are awarded for the best entries in the competitions and the winner of The Weald Book Award is announced.