LitUp Camden

Bloomsbury’s UK HQ is in central London in the borough of Camden and we wanted to launch a programme that would make a difference to our local community. Following our success working with the National Literacy Trust (NLT) in Hastings, we expanded the programme to work with 7 schools in Camden, in support of the borough’s ‘Every Child a Reader’ initiative: aiming for every child to be a fluent, confident and accurate reader by the age of 7 – setting them up for educational success at Key Stage 2 and beyond.

The importance of author visits

There is a wealth of recent research showing that author visits are one of the most effective ways to engage children in books and reading. The interactivity provides children with inspiration around the book titles and brings the process of writing and reading to life.

For the programme in Camden, our author visits focus on children in years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1). Pupils participate in activities around a book to investigate themes relevant to their learning, followed by a visit to the school by the author of the book – often the first time a child has met a “real live author”! We provide an author pack for the school, with background and educational resources for teachers to support reading and learning around the book. The sessions are fun and interactive, offering a space where there are no wrong answers and children are encouraged to be creative and ask questions.

Building support for and from families

Our ‘family stories’ sessions encourage parents/carers/family members to join their child in fun, free reading sessions, which take place just before or after school with plenty of tea, coffee and biscuits available! Each session involves sharing one message around the importance of reading and provides an enjoyable and relaxed session to create and share positive reading experiences.

Each participating school receives age-appropriate books, a resource pack including activity guides, bookmarks, posters and audiobook versions of the books. Through these sessions, children learn that reading doesn’t have to only take place in school under the supervision of teachers, but can be a fun family activity, while family members gain confidence reading with their children and engaging in educational initiatives.

Harry Potter Book Day

On Harry Potter Book Day 2024, we brought the enduring magic of Harry Potter to over 400 children from schools in Camden. Harry Potter illustrator Jonny Duddle led the children in a dragon draw-a-long and the Learning Team at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London shared how some of the creatures were designed, using descriptions from J.K. Rowling’s books. The children also got to see up-close some of the original props and costumes from the films.

Work with us

If you’d like to find out more about LitUp and get involved, please email corporatecommunications@bloomsbury.com

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