Posted on: Thursday 5 March 2026
Schools have been celebrating World Book Day today, including Croesyceiliog School, where hundreds of pupils were given a free book.
It follows a donation of 600 books from the National Literacy Trust, helping to promote reading across year groups.
All pupils in Years 7 and 8 received a World Book Day token, which they could exchange for a book from the school’s pop‑up book shop.
Over the past three years, the number of words read across the two-year groups has risen from 28 million to 82 million - a significant improvement highlighted in a recent Estyn inspection report.
As part of the event, 100 books were also gifted to pupils from Llanyrafon Primary School, who visited Croesyceiliog dressed as their favourite book characters.
Year 1 pupil Aaron, said: “I love reading. My favourite book is Fantastic Mr Fox. I like the ending where they all have tea together. “
Year 8 pupil Tirion, who has read over 1 million words since using the school library, said: “By reading lots of books, I’ve been able to learn more about different subjects, particularly ancient mythology and dragons. It’s helped me expand my vocabulary and become more confident in my writing.”
Other activities included a book swap during break time, a teacher led quiz featuring recorded extracts from popular books, and a competition challenging pupils to design a book character using everyday household items.
The day highlighted the school’s Accelerated Reading programme, where pupils complete Star Reader assessments to help match them with books suited to their reading level.
Stacey Mahoney, Head of Literacy at Croesyceiliog, said:
“Today’s celebrations reflect our school’s strong focus on literacy, with pupils making fantastic progress in English and reading.
“Our library lessons, held fortnightly, are well attended, and reading‑based quizzes and activities continue to support high levels of engagement and attainment.
“The school’s library remains central to this approach, providing a welcoming space that encourages pupils to read widely and develop their confidence and enjoyment in books.”