In The News
Reading Rocks for prize winning school
16/07/08
Derby's local Deaf school were the winners of the Reading Rocks school workshops.
Pupils from a Derby school were jumping for joy after winning a £1000 Poetry Slam experience, as part of Westfield Derby’s Reading Rocks campaign to get local kids reading more books.
The Royal School for the Deaf, on Ashbourne Road, beat 14 other local schools to win the coveted prize after a series of fun-packed story-writing workshops designed to transform the region’s children into an army of budding bookworms.
Donna Emery, primary co-ordinator at the Royal School for the Deaf, said the school will be taking its Poetry Slam experience, which involves children taking turns to recite poems, when pupils return in September.
She said: “We were delighted to come out on top and if the Poetry Slam is as colourful as the original workshop, we can’t wait to start!
“For deaf children in particular, English is a very difficult subject. The workshop brought literacy to life and made it so visual that the children were able to get so much from it – and thoroughly enjoyed themselves too!
“It just shows that if you make English interesting for children, it can be taught anywhere.”
Pupils from the school won the Poetry Slam experience and a book trophy after their combined story made up of every child’s individual efforts was judged the best by a combination of a public vote and a judging panel.
Allenton Community Primary School, St John Fisher Catholic Primary School and Chaddesden Park Junior School finished as joint runners up. All 15 schools that took part in the workshops, either in the Westfield Derby shopping centre or in school, also received £100 worth of books courtesy of Harper Collins.
Westfield Derby’s Reading Rocks campaign was launched in May by story-telling sensation Paul Buonocore and also featured a book swap, wacky poetry sessions and Paddington Bear storytelling sessions.
Janine Bone, Westfield Centre Manager, said: “The Reading Rocks campaign ran for three weeks as part of the National Year of Reading and it proved very successful in getting local children interested in books.
“Those children involved in the workshops in particular seemed to really enjoy their sessions and we hope the students from the Royal School for the Deaf enjoy their prize immensely.”
For more information about Westfield Derby visit westfield.com/derby.
ENDS