Book Week

South Hampstead’s World Book Day celebrations expanded to fill a whole week…

Keen to champion the joys of reading, our Deputy Head Girls, Natalia and Aadya, organised an array of literary activities this year. The Head Girl Team led a special assembly to share their favourite books, mobilised a second-hand book sale to raise funds to support the Umubano Academy in Rwanda, and provided lists of recommended reads for each year group.

Junior School pupils enjoyed workshops with authors and illustrators, Sav Akyüz and Polly Faber, and were joined by peers from our neighbouring Holy Trinity School for creative writing sessions with author Ewa Jozefkowicz. Daunt Books also hosted a book fair, with a selection of carefully curated books suitable for all ages, while our Head Girl Team read their favourite childhood stories to our very youngest pupils.

At the Senior School, during break and lunchtimes, pupils gathered in the library to listen to stories read aloud by their peers and teachers, with extracts ranging from Kafka to Twilight! Year 7 and 8 embraced our annual Living Book Competition, transforming their classrooms into fictional realms with innovative upcycled props and costumes. On the final day of our book week celebrations, pupils and teachers across the whole school came dressed as a variety of book characters, showcasing great imagination and creativity.