Cardiff Council’s innovative new literacy strategy to help improve standards in reading and writing across schools in the city has been launched.
Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Cllr Freda Salway and local children’s author Jon Blake launched the scheme at Kitchener Primary School in Riverside last week.
Jon read one of his books ‘Daley B’ to a Year 6 class at Kitchener before Cllr Salway encouraged the children to read at home with their parents, brothers and sisters.
Cllr Freda Salway, said: “Reading and writing are the basic building blocks of education. The Council is working hard with schools across the city to ensure children have these key skills.
“This new campaign is very striking and is sure to appeal to children. It was wonderful to attend Kitchener Primary and see the children enjoy listening to Jon’s story. We want to show children and their parents that reading is fun and it only needs them to set aside 10 minutes a day to devote to reading and they will reap the benefits.”
The new campaign is aimed at tackling the issue of poor literacy and has been developed to help parents and carers understand the importance of good reading and writing skills to help children succeed in the future.
A new Reading Power website at www.cardiff.gov.uk/readingpower has been set up providing parents with information on how they can help their children, containing tips and advice as well as recommending English and Welsh books and links to other websites that promote reading as an enjoyable past time as well as an essential skill.
The new campaign is currently featuring on local radio stations and is fronted by the Power Readers, a team of reading superheroes who are encouraging parents to give their children the power to read because ‘Knowledge is Power’. Posters introducing the Power Readers and their message can be seen at bus stops and in phone boxes across the city.
Former Kitchener pupil Nafeesa Saharded, who now attends Fitzalan High School, was also at the launch. Nafeesa developed the slogan ‘The brain needs feeding so keep on reading’ which forms part of the campaign and was presented with a book token for £50 and a framed Power Readers poster in recognition of her contribution to the campaign.
Jon Blake said: “As a writer and former teacher I have long been concerned about the high level of functional illiteracy in the UK. I’m happy to do all I can to support Cardiff Council’s campaign.”
