Schoolchildren celebrate World Book Day with literary character dress-up
Pupils and staff at CORE Arena Academy in Birmingham, part of the CORE Education Trust, embraced World Book Day with a vibrant celebration focused on dressing up as their favourite literary characters.
The initiative is designed to promote the joy of reading amid a national push to reverse declining reading habits.
The school's events align with broader efforts such as The Sunday Times' 'Get Britain Reading' campaign, which encourages a daily reading habit of at least 10 minutes and addresses the "reading crisis" highlighted by recent data.
According to the National Literacy Trust's 2025 survey, only one in three (32.7%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 enjoy reading in their free time—the lowest level in 20 years—while just one in five (18.7%) read daily.
The decline is particularly stark among boys and older pupils, underscoring the importance of initiatives like World Book Day to spark lifelong reading pleasure.
At CORE Arena Academy, the highlight is a lively dress-up day where staff come as their favourite book characters. From classic heroes to modern favourites, the costumes bring stories to life, fostering creativity, discussion, and excitement around books.
This inclusive activity encourages students to connect personally with literature and share their choices with peers and teachers.
The celebration ties into the National Year of Reading, a government-backed initiative launched in 2026 to tackle falling reading enjoyment and promote reading for pleasure as a key skill for academic success, wellbeing, and life chances.
Raj Mann, Executive Headteacher at CORE Arena Academy, commented: “At CORE Arena Academy, we’re passionate about making reading fun and accessible for every pupil. Dressing up as favourite literary characters on World Book Day brings stories vividly to life and helps combat the national decline in reading enjoyment we’re seeing in recent statistics.
“By celebrating books in this creative way, we’re inspiring our students to discover the magic of reading and building habits that will enrich their lives long-term, in line with campaigns like Get Britain Reading.”
