Reading Schools Week returns

Have you heard the news? Reading Schools Week is back with a fresh new date!   Following the success of our first Reading Schools Week in February, we’re excited to invite your school to register for the next Reading Schools Week, taking place 16–20 November 2026!   You may be aware that Book Week Scotland, Scottish Book Trust’s annual celebration of books and reading previously took place in November. This is moving to 14–20 June 2027.    Bookbug Primary 1 Family Bag gifting and Primary 2 and 3 Read Write Count with the First Minister bag gifting will continue to take place in November, during Reading Schools Week.   Reading Schools Week is open to every school in Scotland. Register now to take part!

Tuesday 12 May, 4 – 5.30pm on MS Teams

Join this free online session to explore how to take an anti-racist approach to reading, writing, listening and talking at First to Fourth Levels. You’ll be introduced to the new Anti-Racist Literacy (ARL) Framework, learn how it can be applied across a range of genres and texts, and explore practical, classroom-ready teaching materials.

This professional learning session is open to primary and secondary teachers across the North of Scotland.

For more info and to book a place see Eventbrite

Wednesday 18 March, 4 – 5.30pm on MS Teams

Join us to explore how to take an Anti-Racist approach to reading, writing, listening and talking at First to Fourth Levels.

Learn about the new Anti-Racist Literacy (ARL) Framework, and how this can be applied to different genres to explore identity, power, race and racism. Reflect on ways in which anti-racist learning in literacy can move outside the classroom and to taking social action and civic participation in the wider community. Explore classroom-ready teaching materials, including materials for SQA Level, and consider ways in which the ARL approach can be applied to any text in your setting.

For more info and to register: 

Bookbug training

The Scottish Book trust is offering training which include, practical activities, group discussions and up-to-date research and policy information, with a fun and relaxed approach

Free early years courses

Below is our offering for people who work in the early years and want to lead Bookbug activities with families – run by our expert team and funded by Scottish Government and Creative Scotland’s Youth Music Initiative at no cost to the attendee. Click the links to book or find out more.

Bookbug Training – Free Early Years Courses – Scottish Book Trust

Books have the power to shape the way children see themselves and the world. They can act as mirrors that reflect what we know about ourselves and the world we live in. They can also act as windows into worlds and experiences that are different to our own.

We have boxes of our recommended books for each level that can be loaned out for free to settings and schools in the Inverness area. If you would like to borrow a box of books, please contact info@highlandoneworld.org.uk.  Please also get in touch if you find this resource useful, as we’d love to hear from you.

We’re delivering free professional learning sessions based on this resource.

• Online on 7 May 2025 4.30-5.30pm Book via Eventbrite
• Face to face at Inverness Royal Academy on Monday 2 June (In service day) 10am – 11.30am. Book via Highland Council CPD site ID: 90103.

For more information, please visit: https://highlandoneworld.org.uk/for-teachers/resources/mirrors-windows-developing-anti-racist-education-through-books/

We are up to 68 schools that are at some point of their Reading School accreditation journey in Highland now!

If you would like to find out more, you will find two free online webinars which staff can sign up for at the Eventbrite links below.

Shared Practice– Inspiring and Sustaining Reading for Pleasure, Secondaries

Join us for our online Reading Schools shared practice for insights into research and how to inspire reading motivation in adolescence.

School Improvement Planning with Reading Schools

Join Scottish Book Trust to hear more about how Reading Schools can support your school improvement planning.

Did you know that the words monster and demon, probably comes from mon – meaning warn, advise.

If you are looking for a quick Hallowe’en activity with a literacy focus, why not ask the children to create and name their own Hallowe’en Monsters.

Children could draw their monsters, and then using Greek or Latin roots create a name for their monster.

They could then write a description of their monster and where it lives.

How are you going to mark Dyslexia Awareness Week in your school?

Here is some information on next week’s Dyslexia Awareness Week.

Click on the link below to find out more and sign up to Dyslexia Scotland’s free events (face to face and online). 

 Get ready for Dyslexia Awareness Week Scotland 🧠 (campaign-archive.com) 

We are looking forward to having the Talk for Writing Trainer working with some of our Highland Council Staff on Monday 16th September (inset day). We still have some spaces left, so if you are interested in joining in, please be in touch with me by the end of Thursday. You will need to have permission for this from your Head Teacher and know that there will be a change. I can let you know about that when you contact me.

Reply to: jenny.wilson@highland.gov.uk

As our new academic year gets underway, it recommended that all Primary One children are screened for Phonological Awareness in the first few weeks.  This is so that we know which areas to target as we organise our learning and teaching environment and interact throughout the day with the children.

You will find the Phonological Awareness Screen here and further information around supporting phonological awareness development, here.

We should daily be making sure that all areas of phonological awareness are being engaged with and there are natural opportunities for children to practise. 

This can be done through:

• our daily reading to children and talking about words and asking them to join in with repetition and rhyming words,
• singing songs and saying nursery rhymes, clapping out rhythms or dancing to the beat,
• clapping out the syllables in words,
• and teaching simple alliterative tongue twisters
• and during our many quality adult/child interactions

As you engage with children in their different activities, think of quick activities that will help to develop and strengthen their phonological awareness.  Quick activities which are enjoyable, done frequently in different situations are most effective.

There are training and support networks throughout the year. To sign up for those, please go to the Highland Council CPD calendar.

Emerging Literacy

27/08/24            E.L. Initial Training 1 

Oral Language and Phonological Awareness                               15:45 – 17:00

• 24/09/24            E.L. Initial Training 2 

Concepts of Print and Pre-handwriting skills                               15:45 – 17:00

• 10/10/24            E.L. Network 1 – share best practice

Phonological Awareness Screen                                       15:45 – 17:00

• 21/11/24            E.L. Network 2 – share best practice

Concepts of Print/Reading                                                    15:45 – 17:00

• 16/01/25            E.L. Network 3 – share best practice around

Progression/Writing                                                               15:45 – 17:00

• 24/04/25            E.L. Network 4 – share best practice

Transition and Achievement of a Level.                                          15:45 – 17:00

If you need any help with aspects of this, please contact jenny.wilson@highland.gov.uk