Four Dartford and Gravesham schools have received top honours at the Kent Literacy Awards for devising new and exciting ways to boost pupils’ literacy skills.

Championed for their dedication to supporting the next generation, the schools provide pupils with creative schemes to improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

Maypole Primary School won best school library, while Milestone Academy, Wilmington Academy and Dartford Bridge CP School were all crowned champions for literacy innovation, Book Week and IT in literacy respectively.

Nominations were received from parents, pupils and teaching staff across the county, trumpeting the most successful projects at their schools. Representatives from the winning schools were presented with trophies, certificates and prizes at a formal awards evening at Hempstead House Hotel and Spa, Bapchild.

They were applauded by key partners of the event including Kent County Council (KCC), Medway Council, Kent Reliance, Beanstalk, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Golding Vision (Part of Golding Homes), School News Group, Orbit South, Hallett & Co, The Canterbury Tales, Wildwood, Social Enterprise Kent, Whitefriars Canterbury and Independent Music Productions (IMP).

Roger Gough, cabinet member for education at KCC, said: “The Kent Literacy Awards are a wonderful initiative. What I believe has been particularly impressive is the sheer range of innovative processes that schools are applying to optimise learning and engagement, inside and outside the classroom.”

Simon Dolby of the KM Charity Team, which organise the awards, said: “As an educational charity, we are passionate about spreading best practice to all schools across the county, and shouting about schemes which are bettering the future generation.

“Our Kent Literacy Award winners are doing just that: innovating, experimenting and going beyond the line of duty to improve essential reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.”

A detailed booklet showcasing all the winning schemes will be published and circulated to schools in Kent, Medway and Bexley.