Mrs L Ben Haj Ali, the School Reading Lead at GMS, is excited by the launch of a brand-new reading initiative for Year 7 and 8 students: a sponsored Readathon. It is in aid of the ‘Read for Good’ charity supporting children in hospitals. The Readathon will run from 8th to the 22nd June. To make a real difference it would be marvellous if all Year 7s and Year 8s participated.
This event is part of the National Year of Reading 2026 and the upcoming Empathy Day Festival.
During the weeks commencing 18th May and 1st June, students will be exploring the theme of empathy in their English Library lessons, thinking about how reading helps us understand the experiences of others.
Each student will bring home a special bookmark and a Readathon sponsor card. They can choose to be sponsored for the number of books they read or the number of minutes they spend reading during the Readathon period. All funds raised can be donated directly to Read for Good (details are on the sponsorship card) or paid via the school WisePay system. (Last WisePay payment date is 30th June.)
To celebrate our students’ efforts, we will be awarding House rewards as well as individual prizes especially for those who raise the most sponsorship.
The support of the Marlow community will make a real difference. The hope is that every student joins in this exciting new initiative and finds joy in reading, an empathetic understanding of others and a sense of community.
