From the moment they arrived, children were immersed in the world of storytelling. Dressed as their favourite book characters, pupils paraded through the school, bringing their beloved stories to life. This year, children were specifically encouraged to dress as a character or author from a book written within 30 miles of Bloxham, highlighting the wealth of local literary talent and fostering a sense of community pride. Many pupils chose to represent beloved authors such as C.S. Lewis, creator of The Chronicles of Narnia, and Lewis Carroll, famed for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, both of whom have strong connections to Oxford. Teachers also joined in the fun, with costumes including Tweedledum & Tweedledee, Alice, Mary Poppins & Bert, characters from The Midnight Gang, Elmer the colourful elephant, Penguin and Thing 1 & Thing 2, much to the delight of their classes.

Several year groups took part in special BBC World Book Day lessons and joined in The Big Live Read, engaging with a nationwide initiative to promote reading and literacy.

Head of English, Ms Staples expressed pride in the way pupils embraced the spirit of World Book Day, saying, “Reading is at the heart of learning, and events like today remind us of the joy that books can bring."

In the lead-up to the day, the school held a competition challenging pupils to research a local author and design a costume they could wear. This creative task encouraged children to delve into the literary heritage of the area and think imaginatively about how to bring their chosen author or character to life and we learned that an ex-pupil from Bloxham CE Primary Emily Lloyd Gale has published fiction books. The winning entries from each year group were awarded KBVs in Collective Worship, recognising their effort and creativity - well done to all those who entered!

Following the event, the school is also holding a Sponsored Read to raise money for new books, ensuring that children continue to have access to a wide range of exciting and enriching literature, further fostering a love of books within the school community.