Reading lies at the core of our educational vision, and we make it prominent through our DEAR Time sessions. This is where we invite parents and carers to read with their children.

The sessions are both to aid the development of our pupils' literacy and to promote an even greater appreciation of books and reading for pleasure.

DEAR Time, is a whole-school event, occurring in each year group but on different days. This term, we've had a special drop-in session with the reception children, where parents and pupils experienced the joys of reading.

It's a time where books unite families, whilst also supporting the academic development of our children, and fostering a lifelong love of books.

The importance of reading as a pleasure cannot be overstated. Research consistently shows that children who read daily gain a higher level of academic success and improved concentration levels.

St. Paul’s Way Primary is making DEAR Time a normality by embedding it in our termly routine and reaffirming that reading is a source of enrichment.

Rubina, a parent, explained, "I don’t get to read with my son very often, so this is the best time for me to be able to do that.” This shows just how vital DEAR Time can be.

These sessions encourage positive home-school connections and help parents to perform core roles in their child's education.

This perfectly links to one of our school’s core values, Community, due to the friendly and inclusive environment where parents, children, and teachers work together to assist each child in growing and developing.