AN ACADEMY in Tidworth has gained a prestigious award for its commitment to encourage students to embrace reading.   

Wellington Academy received the award which was set up by The Society for Authors - a national trade union that represents 11,000 authors. The scheme enables children’s authors to celebrate the schools that encourage reading.

Headteacher Steven Paddock said: “Literacy is one of the most important things we can master, because we all rely on strong reading and writing skills to navigate our way through life.

“Teachers and other colleagues at the school are constantly coming up with new ways of engaging students in reading, and I’m amazed at their creativity. One of the recent incentives was for students to win their height in books from the library, which has been very popular.”

In May 2022, fantasy author B J Mears visited The Wellington Academy to see the newly revamped library and to find out more about the creative writing workshops for students.  

Salisbury Journal: Wellington Academy Year 9 Students Destini and FinlayWellington Academy Year 9 Students Destini and Finlay

He was so impressed by The Wellington Academy’s commitment to reading for pleasure that he nominated the school for a Society of Authors’ Reading for Pleasure award – which the school has now won.

B J Mears said: “The school has implemented star tests, appointed literary champions in each department, focused on classroom displays that promote and celebrate literacy, made use of vocabulary wall-mats, set in place leaders to listen to children read in the library, and implemented many other incentives.

“Since the re-opening of the library, a book vending machine has even been installed. I am pleased to commend the academy for its brilliant work.”

Author and chair of the management committee at the Society for Authors Joanne Harris signed the award certificate.

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