Students awarded ‘golden’ token for literature treats
Learners at Cockshut Hill School, part of Summit Learning Trust, are being awarded different kinds of ‘lit’ treats this term from a vending machine. The Birmingham school has recently installed a dispensing machine with a difference - this one takes golden coins and gives learners the chance to devour stories, instead of snacks.
As part of the school’s commitment to incorporate the values of ‘strength, ambition and excellence’, learners who demonstrate outstanding effort, attitude, or improve their attendance, or who are nominated by a member of staff, will receive a golden coin to ‘spend’ on a book to keep. Golden tokens are given out in house ‘praise’ assemblies, with the first nominees put forward by their house leaders in Yew house, Alder, Maple and Oak.
Rukia was the very first recipient of the Principal’s Golden Coin, and was awarded her token for being “an excellent Yew House representative in competitions”. Esther won a Golden Coin for being “a consistently exceptional learner” and “her extensive contribution to many extra curricular activities, she is the epitome of a model student”. Charlie was awarded a token for “consistently demonstrating a positive attitude to learning, shows kindness and respect to others and works hard in lessons and around the school”. Yusuf was given a token for “his consistently strong character, a genuinely positive attitude towards Maple House and is always supportive and willing to help”.
Principal Jody Clarke said: “Congratulations to all our learners who have so far won Golden Coins for a book of their choice. We are delighted to receive nominations for our brilliant young people and the book vending machine is a real hit. I look forward to being able to hand out even more tokens as the term progresses.”
Research shows that reading benefits children in many different ways, such as developing problem solving skills, creativity and imagination. Reading is also key to developing academic success, and there is a strong relationship between student reading ability and performance at GCSE level. Cockshut Hill is part of the Go All In initiative by the National Literacy Trust this year, a campaign set up to inspire more people to make time for reading.
