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Peterborough pupils celebrate World Book Day with treasure hunt

Maria Veronese/BBC Gladstone Primary Academy children at the Weston Homes StadiumMaria Veronese/BBC
One pupil from Gladstone Primary Academy said they had the "best day at school"

School children were given hundreds of free books after being taken on a city centre treasure hunt.

Pupils from four primary schools were taken on a tour of Peterborough to mark World Book Day.

The National Literacy Trust, which helped organise the treasure hunt, has said one in eight children from deprived areas may not have a book of their own at home.

One pupil told the BBC they had the "best day at school".

Shaun Whitmore/BBC Children on a treasure hunt in PeterboroughShaun Whitmore/BBC
One in eight children from deprived areas may not have a book of their own at home, the National Literacy Trust says

The trail took pupils to Peterborough Cathedral, Peterborough Lido, the Key Theatre, and the final stop, the Weston Homes Stadium.

The children solved clues and collected 10 letters which spelled out where they could find their books.

Gladstone Primary Academy teacher, Ben Wilson, said that since the Covid-19 pandemic, "reading difficulties" had been noticed in some pupils.

He said: "It has been nice to combine a love for the city with reading.

"We prioritise reading across our curriculum and work really hard as a school to try to expose our children to a wide range of texts and reading in different ways."

Maria Veronese/BBC Ben Wilson at the Weston Homes StadiumMaria Veronese/BBC
Teacher Ben Wilson said since the pandemic, some children had experienced "reading difficulties"

Mr Wilson said the visit to the "iconic Posh grounds" had "made their day".

The National Literacy Trust partnered with the Peterborough United Foundation to organise the hunt.

Maria Veronese/BBC Children on a treasure hunt in PeterboroughMaria Veronese/BBC
The National Literacy Trust partnered with Peterborough United Foundation to organise the treasure hunt

Becky Marrs, from the trust, said books were not always affordable for families.

"Literacy is so important for everybody in terms of future life chances," she explained.

"Reading, writing, speaking, listening; those communication skills are essential to get through everyday life and as a charity we want children to have those skills to have a successful future."

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