Looked after children are set to receive exciting new reading packs, with the hope of inspiring them to fall in love with books.
Durham County Council’s Virtual School, working in partnership with Durham Learning Resources, has designed a reading pack called Curious Kids that will be delivered to the homes of children in care.
Intended for those in Year 2 to Year 6 each pack will contain a fiction and non-fiction book along with some activities, gifts and an exciting quest. Everyone who completes the quest will have the chance to win a prize at a celebration event in July.
Cllr Olwyn Gunn, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “We believe that children in care should have the opportunity to hear stories, learn to love words and escape into a book. We want them to enjoy meeting new characters, to become excited about a plot, to wonder about the world, to be curious kids”.
The Virtual School, which promotes the education of looked after children and previously looked after children and young people, has liaised with local schools to line up the packs with the education curriculum.
Cllr Gunn added: “We are very excited about this new project and we are looking forward to catching up with our ‘curious kids’ in the summer to see what they think.”
At 10am on Tuesday, 26 February, to help looked after children enjoy their books, there is an event for carers and parents where they will look at how best to engage children with reading and how to enjoy the books along with them.
To find out more and to book a place contact Durham Virtual School on 03000 267800.
For more information visit www.durham.gov.uk/durhamvirtualschool.