We have high aspirations for our children. We want them to be the best speakers, readers and writers that they can be. We also want to grow children who love reading, in all its forms, and relish that feeling of not being able to put a book down.

Our provision through which we can accomplish these targets is growing stronger month by month. Our Read, Write Inc programme is now fully embedded and enjoyed by our younger children. Phonics results are increasing and there are more children ready to read independently as they start Y2.

Our Accelerated Reader programme provides a reading structure for children to work independently within a rigorous framework. The children are using our well-stocked library with a secure understanding of how to choose appropriate books and are developing an awareness of favourite genres and authors. Collectively, the children have read over 40 million words since September!

This week, it was encouraging to see so many KS2 readers reach their target and receive their 'Popcorn Party'!

The myOn programme is providing a brilliant resource of quality non-fiction books that we can add to projects and push out to children for them to read at home. This encourages pupils to complete some 'scholarship reading' and come into a lesson with some of the knowledge already locked into their memories! There are over 6000 digital books ready to access with your child's myOn logins and we are finding that levels of engagement with reading are going up.

'Prescot loves to Talk' is an initiative that we are also prod to be part of; it aims to boost oracy skills and gives children opportunities to talk for an audience. The next 'Prescot loves to Talk' event will be happening during the morning of Thur 19th March in Prescot Town Centre. More details will follow.

And finally, one of the most wonderful moments that we can offer our young writers is to see their work being published. This dream came true for many of our Y3 children when they entered the Young Writers competition and had their poems published in the 'Poetry Monsters' book. So exciting!