Pupils from Hemlington Hall Academy descended on the Central Library where they were welcomed by childcare students from Middlesbrough College.

The visit was the culmination of a six-month project led by the National Literacy Trust in Middlesbrough in partnership with the College.

The National Literacy Trust has been working with the Early Years/Teaching Assistant students to support their learning and training, and develop confidence and skills when working with young children.

They have developed practical ways to help children build strong early literacy skills using simple, everyday activities such as chatting, playing, reading and singing.

Since October, 60 Middlesbrough College students have taken part in workshops designed to promote the power of stories and reading for pleasure. Part of these workshops included training to become volunteer Literacy Champions.

As newly trained Literacy Champions, the students will promote reading and language development with children in nurseries, pre-schools, at college and even at home with their own families and friends.

They’ve also created inspiring ‘story sacks’ filled with books and fun activities to share with the pupils during their Central Library visit.

The final session with 18 youngsters from Hemlington Hall Academy was a chance to put all their hard work into practice, interacting with the nursery children and later presenting their work and learning to Early Years practitioners.

Kay Braithwaite, Chair of Governors at  Hemlington Hall Academy, paid tribute to a ‘wonderful’ visit: “The children had the unique opportunity to meet students from Middlesbrough College and share a variety of lovely books with them.

“This inspiring interaction allowed the children to enjoy the stories and resources and it provided the college students with the chance to observe first hand how the children engaged with their work - thus perfectly illustrating the importance of quality reading materials for early years children. 

“I think the visit was best summed up by Zac who said ‘I don’t want to leave’.”

Charlotte Hindmarsh, Foundation T-Level Early Years and Education Programme lead at Middlesbrough College, said: “The National Literacy Trust event was a genuinely enriching experience for both staff and students.

“The children’s enthusiasm was wonderful to see, and the students clearly recognised the real-world impact of their work.

“This project has strengthened their practical skills, boosted their confidence and deepened their awareness of the importance of high quality early language experiences.”

Allison Potter, Manager of the National Literacy Trust in Middlesbrough, said: “We know that early years staff have a vital role to play in developing the early speech, language and communication skills of young children.

“They also are brilliantly placed to empower parents and families to continue this development at home.

“Events like this are wonderful for embedding reading and stories at the heart of childcare and early years settings.

“We’re proud of this partnership, helping our town’s future nursery and pre-school practitioners grow a generation of readers in Middlesbrough.”