Priti with students at Chipping Hill Primary School
Priti Patel MP launches Get Witham Reading 2023
Witham MP, Priti Patel, visited a number of local schools across her constituency on Friday 7th July as she launched Get Witham Reading 2023. She was joined at the launch of her campaign, held at Templars Academy in Witham, by the Minister of State for Schools, the Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Mr Ceri Jones the CEO of Templars Academy and the Headteacher, Ms Victoria Gooding along with year 2, 3 and 4 students.
Her campaign has once again been backed and supported by the Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP and the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP who wrote letters of support for Get Witham Reading.
The Minister and Priti were taken on a school tour with Headteacher Ms Gooding to participate in reading activities with pupils and see the extent of the literacy work undertaken as part of the Get Witham Reading campaign organised by the school.
Priti’s reading campaign was established in 2012 to help boost literacy levels in schools across the constituency. OFSTED has specially referred to Priti’s campaign as a strong model of community engagement and participation. Local schools and teachers have been a huge support to the success of the project and children enjoy taking part in fun activities that the schools often put together to inspire learning and development.
Priti Patel visited Templars Academy, Chipping Hill Primary School, Rivenhall Primary School, and Hatfield Peveral St Andrew’s Junior School. The other schools set to take part in the event on a separate date are Kelvedon St Mary’s Primary Academy, Tiptree Heath Primary School and New Rickstones Academy. Overall, 1,200 students across the constituency are taking part in Get Witham Reading this year.
Priti has donated over 1,000 books to these schools and every participating pupil has received certificates, bookmarks, and books to promote reading.
Speaking after her school visits, Priti said: “As usual, I thoroughly enjoyed Get Witham Reading Day. I would like to thank all the children who took part and the teachers who have worked so hard to provide new opportunities, through reading, for learning and supporting the development and aspirations of their pupils.
“I would also like to thank the Schools Minister, Nick Gibb MP, for kindly joining me this morning and Templars Academy for putting on such a fantastic Get Witham Reading launch event.
“One of my priorities as MP for Witham has always been to support education, particularly through encouraging reading. Being able to read for learning and enjoyment is a life skill that should be accessible to every school pupil and my Get Witham Reading campaign was specifically created to provide the foundation for this to happen.”
