Champions of literacy have gathered to select the best initiatives in schools boosting pupils’ reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

The judging panel for the 3 annual Kent Literacy Awards deliberated over a record number of nominations from primary, secondary and special schools across the county to decide the winning schemes, which will be revealed next month.

Judges included Malou Bengtsson-Wheeler from Beanstalk; Lindsay Prestage from Kent Libraries; Sarah-Jane Leipnik from Golding Vision; Penny Bill from Kent County Council; Karen Gray and Michael Whittaker from McCabe Ford Williams; Alison Baldwin on behalf of AC Goatham and Son; and Natalie Winter and Sarah Fisher from KM Facilities Management.

Other organisations involved in the event include Whitefriars and Medway Council.

Nominations were submitted by pupils, parents and members of school staff for the top literacy themes and projects at their school. Categories included best use of IT, best writing topic, best use of art or drama, best library, and best book week theme.

This year, the event will also showcase the most successful and creative methods of implementing the home reading schemes Buster’s Book Club and Reading Bug.

The top 20 schemes will be announced at an awards event staged by the KM Charity Team on Wednesday, June 21 at Hempstead House near Sittingbourne. Key partners of the event have donated exciting prizes for the winners to use in school to support their literacy work.

The lucky winner of the KM Charity Team’s book review competition will have the chance to meet their arts and crafts hero Phil Gallagher, presenter of CBeebies’ hit show Mister Maker, who will be a special guest at the event.

Event organiser Charlotte Hayes of the KM Charity Team said: “Nominations were up by a third so this was no easy task for our judges and our winning schools should be very proud. The panel has decided to reward a diverse range of initiatives and I’m very excited to see some of our Buster’s Book Club schools represented in their own category this year.”

Details of the winning initiatives will be published and distributed to schools to share best practice.

Visit www.kentliteracyawards.co.uk