DEVON Adult and Community Learning and Tavistock College are the first in the country to pilot a course which encourages reading for pleasure with Year 7s and their parents. 

The free and informative sessions were supported by college librarian Kathy Worrall and gave opportunities to visit Tavistock Library and WHSmith where a £10 voucher was given to each student to buy a book. Each family also benefited from a further two free books.

Engaging students to read for pleasure is one of the most effective ways of developing literacy skills and builds a lifelong love of reading.

The funding to offer the course was provided by The National Literacy Trust and offered an opportunity for West Devon to trial it before it is offered across the UK.

James O'Connell, from Tavistock College, said: 'The college is thrilled to be working with Penny and the Community Learning Team. 

'This course fits in perfectly with our drive on building a love of reading within all of our students. 

'This year we have developed a team of members of the local community and sixth formers as reading mentors, set aside  curriculum time to devote to reading and introduced the national "Accelerated Reader" programme. 

'The "Get Hooked on Books!" project makes an essential link with parents and life out of school, involving adults and their children in engaging with reading. 

'We are thrilled with the success of this first course and hope it will lead to many more community reading schemes and courses.'

There will be a catch-up session in September to see what impact the course has made and how reading habits have changed for the students.

For more details of future courses on how to spark an interest in reading, contact Penny on 07816 973926.