This year’s World Book Day takes place after half term – on Thursday 2 March – so it’s time to get thinking of your favourite reads ready for the annual celebration at school. The Bookish Bake Off will continue, and pupils and staff are invited to create a delicious book-themed cake which will be judged by members of the Catering Team, before being sliced up and sold for 50p a slice at lunchtime in aid of the school’s charities of the term. Prizes will be awarded for Best Cake and Best Tasting Cake.

It would be good to get more staff cakes this year, so please get planning your recipes! The Library will have a selection of the World Book Day books to give away again. The books this year are: Boot it, Kay’s Brilliant Brains, Being an Ally, A Dragon Realms Adventure and the Strange Worlds Travel Agency. The traditional £1 paper vouchers are no more as World Book Day has gone digital. Instead, special bookmarks containing a QR code to get to your voucher will be available from the Library on the day. Lower School students will all be given a bookmark. You won’t need a voucher for the books that will be given away in the Library.

Finally, what book would you take to a desert island and why? Pupils and staff are invited to fill in special forms to nominate their book, and the Library Team will then create a display of some of the suggestions. Even better – everyone who nominates a book will be entered into a special prize draw to win a selection of items from the Tuck Shop. Librarian Mrs Steward told the Occasional: “World Book Day is once again fast approaching and with something that has become a bit of a tradition at the school, we are really looking forward to seeing (and tasting!) your book related cakes and bakes.”

Maia C and Lucia P, Year 11