Seven Year 8s from Harrow Way Community School recently joined students from across the county to determine the 2015 Hampshire Book Award’s winner.
The seven high ability students attended the judging session at Bishop Challoner School in Basingstoke to cast their vote having read the six shortlisted books.
English teacher James Marsh explains the value of participating in such activities: “The Hampshire Book Awards has provided our students with the ideal opportunity to access and enjoy six great novels. We have spent time each week meeting to discuss and critique these high profile books and I hope the students have enjoyed the experience of having their say, discussing the books with students from other schools and playing their part in choosing this year’s winner. They will all be invited to the award’s ceremony in the autumn to find out who has won and may well get to meet the winning author.”
The Hampshire Book Awards is an annual event which aims to promote the enjoyment of reading and to challenge students to critically assess books to make a reasoned argument in group discussions. The Awards also foster a reading ethos within schools and draws attention to the most rewarding and accessible fiction for the age group.
The shortlist of six books (for the 11-14 age group) is drawn from paperback fiction published in the previous year. The judges are hundreds of Year 8 students from participating schools across Hampshire.
James Marsh concludes: “I hope the students enjoyed the opportunity to have their say, and to play their part in choosing this year’s winner. I hope they have been inspired and encouraged to widen their reading intake and that they enjoyed discussing the books with students from other schools.”
For more information on Harrow Way Community School, please call 01264 364533 or visit www.harroway.hants.sch.uk. Visits to the school by appointment are always welcome.
