School’s alternative design your own T-shirt for World Book Day

School children across West Norfolk dressed in an array of costumes as their favourite characters for World Book Day.Last Thursday saw princesses, a stick man and all manner of creative costumes to mark the special day which had the theme of Read Your Way.But at Lynn’s Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School there was an alternative ‘Wear Your Story’ day where pupils transformed T-shirts into book covers.

A spokesperson for the school said: “In a climate where World Book Day often generates headlines about the stress and financial burden it places on families, Fairstead Community Primary and Nursery School offered a refreshing alternative.“With widespread reports of parents and carers feeling pressured to create or purchase expensive costumes, the school chose to prioritise inclusivity and creativity.“The school celebrated World Book Day with a unique approach, by providing plain white T-shirts to transform into wearable book covers. This stress-proofing initiative, now in its second year, put the joy of reading over expensive costumes.”

Children across the school, from Nursery to Year 6, were encouraged to transform their T-shirts by drawing and designing their favourite stories. The school said: “This unique initiative, agreed upon by the school council last year, allowed students to fully immerse themselves in the spirit of the day without the financial burden often associated with elaborate costumes.”

English lead Oliver Graves said: “The focus was on the books, not the outfits. We wanted to create a level playing field where every child could celebrate their love of reading and remove the stress for families.”Pupils also enjoyed reading with buddies from other year groups, quizzes and activities based on books and reading. The day finished with children and staff parading through the school halls to music and applause to show off their creations.

Also pictured are pupils from Denver Primary who enjoyed a day of book-related activities and dressing up.