Tottenham pupils get in character for World Book Day (From Haringey Independent)

Tottenham pupils get in character for World Book Day

5:30pm Thursday 3rd March 2011 in Education By Elizabeth Pears

A TOTTENHAM school embraced World Book Day to the letter with pupils and teachers dressing up as some of literature's favourite characters.

It is the second year running that Northumberland Park School, in Trulock Road, have marked the international event as part of a push to boost literacy skills and inspire their pupils to read.

Author Graham Marks and poet Kate Tempest also visited the school, the reigning champions of the Jack Petchey Speak Out Challenge, to join the festivities.

A Geography and PHSE teacher dressed up as the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz while a pupil dressed as the wolf from loved fairy-tale Little Red Riding Hood.

The secondary school pupils were also encouraged to take part in a book swap.

Eileen Bolton, head of English, said: "Raising literacy levels is one of the school's key aims.

"World Book Day provides an opportunity to involve the whole school community in the pleasure reading can give but hopefully also makes our students aware that without good literacy skills there will be less opportunities in life."