The 100 Million Minutes Reading Challenge, run by education charity Achievement for All and the Book People, saw more than 200,000 children read collectively for 100,019,560 minutes in schools, early years settings, homes, libraries and community groups throughout March.
As part of the challenge, many settings held events and activities including literacy power hours, library read-alongs, teddy bear reading picnics and using reading therapy pets.
Pupils in early years settings read for a combined total of 283,186 minutes, with the London Early Years Foundation’s Katharine Bruce Nursery in Queens Park, London, reading the most of any individual setting.
The nursery received a bundle of prizes including £100 worth of book tokens from the Book People, a large hamper of goodies from Child's Play and free resources from Teaching Times.
Primary schools read for a total of 63,180,671 minutes, while secondary school pupils clocked up 21,492,591 minutes.
Children at Rosh Pinah Primary School in Edgware, London, read for 9 million minutes over the course of the month, placing them ahead of any other participating school.
Headteacher Jill Howson said, ‘I am overwhelmed and extremely proud of all of our pupils who worked so hard during March to do as much extra reading as they could whilst participating in the 100 Million Minutes Reading Challenge. Out of thousands of schools, we came first place!
‘At Rosh Pinah we promote "reading for pleasure" on a daily basis and I am delighted that as a whole school working as a team, we achieved such an amazing result.’
Professor Sonia Blandford, chief executive at Achievement for All, said, ‘We are hugely grateful for all of the support and engagement that our reading challenge has received. Together with individuals, organisations, parents, carers, schools, early years settings and community groups across the UK, we’ve helped to inspire a generation of lifetime readers and whilst the challenge has come to a close for this year, the magic of books is only just beginning.
‘Well done to everyone who took part in the challenge and congratulations to our winners who have inspired us with their fantastic efforts. Reaching a hundred million minutes is an incredible achievement - it’s hard to even imagine how many worlds and possibilities have been unlocked. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsors and supporters for helping to make this year’s challenge the biggest and best one yet!'