Priti with pupils at Tiptree Heath Primary School on Get Witham Reading day.
Priti Patel MP brings Get Witham Reading 2022 to eight local schools
A large number of local schools from across the Witham constituency have participated in Priti Patel’s Get Witham Reading 2022 literacy campaign. Priti’s campaign was established to boost the literacy of school students across the constituency. It has been cited by OFSTED as a strong model of community engagement and participation. It continues to inspire local children as part of their learning and development.
Eight of the twelve participating schools received a personal visit from Priti on Friday 8th July, for taking part in Get Witham Reading 2022. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the first campaign, aimed at improving standards of literacy and is this year linked with the Essex Year of Reading campaign. This was celebrated at a special assembly held at Powers Hall Academy, attended by Cllr Tony Ball, Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning & Employability and Roy Blatchford CBE, Chair of Essex Education Taskforce, alongside Priti Patel.
At each of her school visits, Priti was briefed about the efforts students have been putting into Get Witham Reading 2022. She was shown themed décor and the wide variety of costumes worn by students and staff to mark the day and heard all about the different ways the schools have worked within their selected Get Witham Reading themes. The most popular theme this year was the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee but others included outer space and traditional childhood summers.
As special souvenirs of the day, Priti supplied a certificate and a commemorative Get Witham Reading 2022 bookmark for every student who took part.
Speaking after her school visits, Priti said: “I am passionate about our young people and how we can support them in their learning and development. Reading is an essential component of this and is the golden thread that sparks the imagination and creativity of the young.
“Today was a joyous recognition of the hard work of our local schools and the way in which they are creating new opportunities for learning and supporting the development and aspirations of their pupils.
“It is a personal privilege to join pupils and experience with them their own educational success and see how they are thriving. No fewer than twelve schools participated, although it was not possible to visit them all today but every pupil will received a personal recognition from me of their participation today.
“Supporting education has always been one of my priorities as MP for Witham and reading is a fundamental part of that. The ability to read and enjoy reading should be accessible to all, along with the lifetime of opportunities that will flow from this essential and basic skill. Get Witham Reading was established for this very purpose.
“I give my personal thanks to every school, every Head Teacher, teacher and the pupils who have so enthusiastically taken part this year.”
The participating schools visited by Priti on Get Witham Reading Day 2022 were:
- Powers Hall Academy
- Feering C of E Primary School
- Chipping Hill Primary School
- Elm Hall Primary School
- Rivenhall C of E Primary School
- Lakelands Primary School
- Baynards Primary School
- Tiptree Heath Primary School
Also participating in Get Witham Reading 2022:
- Templars Academy
- Silver End Academy
- New Rickstones Academy
- Maltings Academy
Get Witham Reading 2022 was also supported by the Witham and Coggeshall public libraries.
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