We recently welcomed parents and carers into school for a special DEAR Time session, which stands for Drop Everything and Read. The session gave families the opportunity to spend dedicated time reading alongside their children and sharing the enjoyment that books can bring.

DEAR Time is about much more than developing reading skills. By inviting parents and carers into school to read with their children, we are helping to build positive relationships around books and create meaningful experiences that encourage children to see reading as something enjoyable, social and rewarding.

Research from the National Literacy Trust highlights the important role that reading for pleasure can have in supporting children’s reading skills, learning, wellbeing and empathy. It also shows that children who enjoy reading are more likely to read regularly, helping them develop habits that can support them throughout their school journey and beyond.

Sharing a book with a parent or carer can also make reading feel special. A story can become a conversation, a chance to ask questions, discover new ideas and explore different worlds together.

These moments help strengthen children’s relationships with books while creating memories that can encourage them to continue reading independently as they grow.

The impact of developing these habits during the primary years can be significant. A strong foundation in reading for pleasure can support children as they progress through school, particularly when they make the important transition into secondary education, where confidence, vocabulary and independence become increasingly important.

Our DEAR Time session reflects one of our values, Community, bringing families and school together to create a shared love of reading and give every child the opportunity to discover the joy that books can offer.