Schools from across Kent received awards in recognition of their participation in a long-running literacy scheme.

The KM Charity Team Literacy Mark Awards took place at Hempstead House in Bapchild on Friday (November 8).

The awards, which were held in partnership with Golding Homes, aimed to recognise the efforts of schools that have shown particular enthusiasm or innovation with the KM Charity Team’s reading-reward scheme Buster’s Book Club.

Gold Literacy Marks were awarded to primaries that delivered the scheme to a particularly high standard.

Platinum marks were granted to schools pledging to take part for three years.

And eight schools were named as Buster’s Outstanding Partners in recognition of their doing Buster’s in tandem with KM Charity Team green travel scheme Active Wow.

Alison Nightingale of awards sponsor Three R’s Teacher Recruitment said: “It’s fantastic to see so many children being inspired to continue with their reading and compete with each other.

“It’s such a great initiative and we’re really proud to be part of it.”

KM Charity Team acting general manager Karen Brinkman said: “Many congratulations to all of the winners of these awards.

“They fully deserve them after working so hard over the past year to ensure that children across Kent and Medway get the most possible benefit from taking part in Buster’s Book Club.

“I am sure that each school will have reaped significant rewards in terms of literacy engagement and performance as a result.”

Ian Millership of winning school Garlinge Primary School and Nursery confirmed Mrs Brinkman’s comments, saying: “We’ve been running Buster’s Book Club for around four years now. It’s had a huge impact on our children’s attainment and their love of reading.”

The full list of 2019 Literacy Mark Awards winners is:

Gold: Briary Primary School, Herne Bay; Langdon Primary School, Dover; Priory Fields School, Dover; Brenzett Church of England Primary School, Romney Marsh; St Nicholas C of E Primary Academy, New Romney; Boughton Monchelsea Primary School, Maidstone; Virtual School Kent Fostering, Maidstone; Abbey Court School, Rochester; Miers Court Primary School, Rainham; New Horizons Children’s Academy, Chatham; Elliot Park School, Sheerness; West Minster Primary School, Sheerness; Garlinge Primary School and Nursery, Thanet; Slade Primary School, Tonbridge and Malling

Platinum: Bridge and Patrixbourne Primary School, Canterbury; Swalecliffe Community Primary School, Canterbury; Whitstable Junior School; Lunsford Primary School, Maidstone; Tiger Primary School, Maidstone; Bradfields Academy, Chatham; Lordswood School, Chatham; Riverside Primary School, Rainham; St Peter’s Infant School, Rochester; Luddenham School, Faversham; St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, Sheerness

Buster’s Outstanding Partners: Swalecliffe Community Primary; Whitstable Junior School; Langdon Primary; Lordswood School; St Edward’s Catholic Primary; West Minster Primary; Garlinge Primary School and Nursery; Slade Primary

Buster’s Book Club encourages children to read more at home on Wednesday evenings.

Participating schools’ classes compete internally for weekly trophies, and winners of monthly inter-school challenges are rewarded with tickets to leisure attractions or visits by celebrity storytellers.

The club is supported by The Education People, Golding Vision, Medway Council, Specsavers, Leeds Castle, Diggerland, Hornby, Wildwood, Rotary, Acorns Read and Grow, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Buckland Media and Kent County Council.

For more information about Buster’s Book Club, visit www.bustersbookclub.co.uk.