It’s a well known fact that boys don’t do as well as girls when it comes to reading.

But one school is trying to turn that around.

Every Wednesday lunchtime Barnsole Junior School, Gillingham holds a Reading Champions group for boys.

The aim of the group is to get them to enjoy reading by borrowing books, talking to other members about the books they’ve read, writing poetry and taking part in other fun activities.

To help encourage them the boys can work towards three levels of achievement bronze silver and gold. Once completed they receive a certificate and badge to mark.

Michelle Kagan, Reading Champions co-ordinator at the school, said: “Reading Champions is part of a national initiative as it’s felt that some boys in school need their reading skills lifted.

“I ask the teachers to put the boys forward for the group as they know them best.

“The boys usually get their bronze award for attending the group on a regular basis and showing a real interest in the group or for doing a piece of reading; silver is for showing a continued interest in the group, turning up on a weekly basis and giving me ideas on what they want to do during the session; and gold is achieved by learning about someone’s job and using it in a practical way.”

A few of the boys are currently working towards their gold award. To help them achieve it Medway Messenger reporter Hayley Robinson was invited to the school to talk to them about her job as a journalist.

Hayley said: “I told them a bit about the paper, how we get stories and turn them in to articles but most importantly what qualifications they need to become a journalist.

“A couple of boys said they were interested in becoming a reporter. I just hope I inspired them with my talk.”