This year, we have been delighted to appoint Reading Ambassadors at St Birinus School. These are students who love reading and take an active role in promoting it, both throughout the rest of the school and across the Ridgeway Education Trust.

On their first outing as Reading Ambassadors, a group of Year 7 and 9 students have been visiting All Saints Church of England Primary School to look at the books shortlisted for the 2024 Oxfordshire Book Awards with students there. Last term, the Ambassadors looked at the books in the Picture Book category with Year 2 students; this term they have been reading the books shortlisted in the Primary Novel category with Year 5 and 6 students. At the end, the primary students were asked to vote for which book they think should win the Oxfordshire Book Award - it is these votes from students alone that will decide the winners of the awards later on in the year.

We are very proud of the way that the Reading Ambassadors mentored the primary students and helped to spread a love of reading to a younger generation.