Boxgrove Primary School Appeals For Funds For Virtual Book Club During Lockdown

Published on: 27 May, 2020
Updated on: 29 May, 2020

Teachers at Boxgrove Primary School in Merrow, are seeking donations of specific books or funds to buy enough books to create a virtual book club for pupils.

They require 200 more named books to be able to deliver one to every child’s front door, so as to connect the school’s fellow book worms from their homes.

Boxgrove Primary School’s co-head teacher, Alison Fitch (left), discusses the virtual book club with the Year 3 Leader, Lisa Blackburn.

The school, part of the Guildford Education Partnership (GEP Academies), wants to encourage a sense of working as a ‘village’ to support its 630 pupils, hoping the joy of a good book and the thrill of swapping ideas will give the pupils some much needed comfort at this anxious time.

The co-head teacher at the school, Alison Fitch, said: “We are missing our lively book debates through our class reader sessions and we know our children are too.

“The best-loved texts are about so much more than words on a page, just as our most animated discussions are about so more than whether the ending was quite as we hoped.

Author, SF Said with copies of two of his books. Varjak Paw is one of the books Boxgrove Primary school is seeking to be donated for the virtual book club at the school.

“Reading is about love and connection and sharing something wonderful. We identify with characters, get swept up in their stories and there is a unique pleasure in finding someone who loves a book just as much we do.

“Teachers would like to work closely with families to share a high-quality text and give everyone a shared focus as they consider when they might be able to back together again to talk about it in person.

“Today we are calling for donations so we can replicate our book debates during lockdown and create a really special moment each week during this difficult time.”

The school has written to publishers asking if they might be able to donate copies, but is also appealing to anyone locally who might be able to help.

To provide every child across four year groups with a book, 45 extra copies are needed of the following texts:
Varjak Paw by SF Said, published by Yearling.

When The Mountains Roared by Jess Butterworth, published by Hachette Children’s Group.

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl, published by Usborne.

Wonder by RJ Palacio, published by Random House.

Boxgrove Primary School is said to be known for its community spirit and its staff giving huge levels of discretionary effort to foster a sense of everyone being welcomed and looked after, children, their families and the wider community. This sense of solidarity is proving invaluable to dealing with the current challenge.

If you want to donate, you can email the school at office@boxgrove.surrey.sch.uk.

This story is based on a press release issued by the Guildford Education Partnership.