A SCHOOL is hoping to get young people reading as it prepares to hold a major event this week.

Powers Hall Academy in Witham has revealed its plans for Get Witham Reading on Friday, July 8.

The day will involve a range of activities followed by a summer fair-style evening with the whole community invited.

The school will also be joined by special guests from the Essex Education Task Force and the Essex Year of Reading team in the morning, as well as a visit from the mayor of Witham in the afternoon.

Each year, Powers Hall Academy is among several schools in the town which support Get Witham Reading.

The campaign, which was launched by Witham MP Priti Patel, seeks to promote reading among children and young people while improving their literacy and other academic skills.

The school says it hopes the event will inspire children and young people to read for pleasure at home, as well as at school.

This year Powers Hall Academy has chosen ‘Space’ as the theme and the children will be dressing up as astronauts on the Friday.

The school says the day will comprise of reading-related activities combined with fun, adventurous and physical activities, similar to the type of ‘training’ astronauts may have to do.

Headteacher Richard Benstock added: “In order to extend this event beyond the school day, we will be opening our school field to families from 3.15pm to 6.30pm where you can pay for your children to have fun on the various activities.

“We will also have a raffle, tombola and several other stalls and games, as well as refreshments available, so please support the school by attending.

“We are also inviting children and families from Acorn Academy, Templars Academy and Silver End Academy.

“We will also be launching our pilot scheme of the Big Essex Book Swap, where children from the community can bring along books they have finished with and swap them for ones they haven't read before.

“This is in collaboration with the Essex Year of Reading in the hope that more children in our area will have opportunities to access good reading materials with no cost.”