Reading Schools Week is born!
One of the best things about working in the Reading Schools team at Scottish Book Trust is hearing about all the wonderful and creative things schools across Scotland are doing to make reading fun and the difference this can make to pupils (and staff).
For some time, we'd been thinking about a way to help schools share those ideas and experiences with one another. What if schools could see what other schools were doing, pick up inspiration and try something new themselves?
And so, Reading Schools Week was born!
In February 2026, hundreds of schools across Scotland came together for five days of reading, creativity and fun.
What happened during Reading Schools Week?
Reading Schools Week was open to both primary and secondary schools, whether they were already part of Reading Schools or just starting out.
We wanted the week to feel exciting, but also easy to take part in. Each day had its own theme and activities, giving schools plenty of ideas to get started, while allowing their Reading Leadership Groups to take the lead and plan activities which were right for their own settings.
For example, Monday's theme was ‘Ask Me What I’m Reading’, which encouraged pupils and staff to chat about the books they were reading and share recommendations.
That was really the point of the week: to get people talking about reading, trying new things and enjoying books together.
More than 100,000 pupils from hundreds of schools across Scotland took part. And, as we’d hoped, schools made the week their own.
Some set reading challenges or created book recommendation walls. Others paired younger and older pupils for buddy reading, held library lunch clubs, organised outdoor reading sessions or invited authors into school. There were readathons, reading picnics, bookmark making sessions, mini book reviews and non-fiction displays.
There was even one school where the football team stopped the game, sat down on the pitch and read for ten minutes. The pupils watching from the playground thought this was hilarious, and it certainly made reading hard to miss!
There was no right way to do it
One of the things we loved most was seeing how differently schools approached the week.
There was no expectation to pack every day with activities. Schools could do as much or as little as worked for them. The important thing was to find a way to make reading visible, enjoyable and part of everyday school life.
Sometimes, that meant something as simple as giving everyone ten minutes to stop and read a book of their choice.
We also encouraged pupils to help decide what happened. Reading Leadership Groups could recommend books, create activities and shape the week themselves.
And they certainly did!
How did schools join in?
Getting involved was easy. Reading Schools Week was free and open to all schools in Scotland, including schools that weren’t yet part of the Reading Schools programme.
Schools simply had to register to receive information, ideas and resources to help plan activities. Registration also gave schools a link to a Padlet board, where they could connect with others taking part and see what schools around the country were getting up to.
Schools didn't need to have everything planned from the outset. The activities and resources provided by the Reading Schools team were there as inspiration and a starting point, and schools were encouraged to adapt them to suit their pupils, staff, timetable and setting.
Reading Schools Week is designed to complement the work schools are already doing, rather than create additional workload.
Sometimes, the simplest activities can make a big impact. Set aside ten minutes for everyone to read, invite a member of staff to share a favourite book in assembly or give pupils time to recommend a story to a friend.
For schools already working towards a Reading Schools accreditation, the week provided an opportunity to showcase and capture evidence of the reading culture developing in their school.
What did schools think of the first Reading Schools Week?
The response to the first Reading Schools Week demonstrated just how many ways schools can bring reading to life.
Teachers told us that pupils enjoyed discovering new books, sharing their favourite stories and having opportunities to read with others. Many schools also gave pupils the opportunity to create and lead their own reading challenges.
One secondary school teacher told us:
We had a very fun Reading Schools Week, with sessions extending into [next] week as I can't see all the S1s and S2s in one week, so it's become an ever-growing festival.
And one primary school teacher said:
Our pupils led Reading Schools Week. They were instrumental in choosing what we were going to do and then implementing the week-long event. The atmosphere in the school was incredible.
The variety of approaches is one of the strengths of Reading Schools Week. Every school can make it their own.
Looking ahead
After the success of February’s debut event, we’re excited to bring Reading Schools Week back this November, and for the week to become an annual fixture each November in the events landscape for schools.
Whether you’re an established Reading School or completely new to the programme, why not join us?
Five days. Lots of stories. Plenty of fun. One great reason to celebrate reading.