Jump to: About | Benefits of registration | How to take part | Resources and inspiration | Funding | CLPL | Enter the Challenge | Technical support
We believe that reading has the power to change lives and that developing a love of reading in childhood can have a huge impact on educational attainment and future wellbeing.
The First Minister’s Reading Challenge aims to help children and young people between the ages of 5 and 18 develop a love of reading. We’re supporting schools, libraries and communities across Scotland to give every child the opportunity to experience the benefits – and the fun – of reading for pleasure.
Registration for the First Minister's Reading Challenge is now closed for 2022–23.
Who can take part
All secondary schools in Scotland can register to take part. You can take part as individual classes or groups. The Reading Challenge is also open to primary schools, community groups and public libraries.
Benefits of registration
Registration for the First Minister’s Reading Challenge allows you to:
- Order reading passports for individual participants
- Access our huge range of downloadable learning resources for use in the classroom or school library
- Apply for funding to bring an author, storyteller, illustrator or poet into your school
- Submit your Reading Challenge stories to us for a chance to win awards and attend our annual Celebration event
How to take part
- Register your school
A key contact should register the school for the challenge, and order any group passports. Registration is quick and easy. If you were signed up last year, your key contact just needs to log in and opt in to this year's challenge. They will then find the passport ordering page linked on their account page. If you didn't take part last year, you can still register and order passports. If you have any issues with registration, please contact us. - Ask staff to sign up
Once the school has been registered by a key contact, all staff can register for staff accounts with your school and register their own classes. - Get reading!
You can browse our resource library and our blog for ideas and inspiration. - Enter the Challenge
Share your reading journey to be in with a chance of winning a national award! For further guidance on how to submit for the Challenges, check out our dedicated resource for Secondary schools.
Resources and inspiration
In our resources section we have a variety of downloadable and adaptable resources available for staff and pupils, including quizzes, PowerPoints for lesson ideas and activities you can do with your class. Resources can be filtered by type and theme, making it as easy as possible to find something that works for you.
Everyone who registers for the Challenge will also be sent regular email updates about taking part, full of support and ideas. You may unsubscribe from these emails at any time without affecting your participation in the First Minister's Reading Challenge.
Funding
The Workshops Fund offers funding to invite an author, illustrator, storyteller, poet or other creative practitioner into your school to work with pupils. This grant can be a great way to engage pupils with books and reading, and you can use the remaining funding to purchase books and other resources to support the workshop(s). All secondary schools taking part in the Reading Challenge can apply for this fund, and the deadline to apply is 17 November 2022.
CLPL
Visit our CLPL page for details of upcoming webinars and local training sessions to help you make the most of the Reading Challenge and give you opportunities to connect with other schools taking part.
Enter the Challenge
Secondary schools can enter the Reading Inspiration Challenge to share their reading journey. Challenge submissions will be open in 2023, and you can enter any time before the deadline on Thursday 27 April 2023.
Reading Inspiration Challenge
This Challenge celebrates the progress a group or class has made to build a love of reading. To enter, we'll ask you to show us how the First Minister’s Reading Challenge has inspired your pupils to read for pleasure. Your entry can focus on an individual pupil, small group of pupils, class or year group.
Your entry can be in any format, from a written document, to a PowerPoint presentation or a video made by your pupils - it’s up to you!
Technical support
Registration
If your school has participated in the Reading Challenge before, your key contact can opt-in to this year's challenge quickly and easily. Just log in to your account and select yes when prompted to confirm you want to take part again.
If you need to change to a new key contact, you can contact us by email at readingchallenge@scottishbooktrust.com.
If your school is new to the challenge, you can complete the registration process. If you're not sure, you can use our organisation check tool.