Swashbuckling World Book Day fun at Swindon school

It was a pirate's life for pupils at Noremarsh Junior School as they marked World Book Day.

The young people marked the international event, aimed at promoting reading for pleasure, by wearing bandanas and eye patches and wielding wooden cutlasses.

Each year group had a pirate-themed book that they studied and enjoyed, completing various activities from wordsearches and crosswords to writing stories and poetry. 

There was also a challenge to find pirate treasure hidden in the forest area, with children hunting for 12 bottles containing clues to find where the treasure was hidden.

Children also got to enjoy a talk by local author Sarah Cox, who spoke to year groups about her book and answered questions from pupils. Tyler in Year 6 said, “The best thing about today was meeting Mrs Cox, she told us a lot about her book, and I would really like to read it now. I love reading, it calms me down and I like getting lost in a story.”

Pearson, also in Year 6, said: “I enjoyed the crossword, it was really fun. I also liked seeing everyone’s costumes and really enjoyed dressing up.”

Local book shop Moonrakers joined in the fun by hosting a book stall all afternoon, allowing pupils to exchange their book tokens for free books and to buy books with the money they had saved by not buying costumes this year.

Year 6 Teacher Claire Sexton said: “Today has gone really well, the idea was to not spend money on a costume and spend it on a book instead. So, we thought a pirate theme suited that quite well and it was a good, fun theme that the whole school could enjoy.”

World Book Day is marked in over 100 countries around the globe. Its mission is to promote reading for pleasure, offering every child and young person the opportunity to have a book of their own through the voucher scheme. 

The aim is to see more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them. 

Noremarsh Junior School is part of Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust - www.rwbatrust.org.uk 

The Noremarsh Junior School website is www.noremarsh.wilts.sch.uk