The University of Kent has thrown its weight behind a hunt to find life-transforming educational projects.

It is one of the judging organisations for the Kent Literacy Awards, which celebrate innovative initiatives developing children’s reading, writing, speaking and listening skills

In a bid to encourage nominations for the awards, University of Kent lecturer Tom Lawrence highlighted the all-round impact of literacy on children’s educational and life outcomes.

He said: “We know that literacy is so important for young people in terms of their academic attainment, in terms of their employability, their well-being and also their quality of life.

“And as someone who is also a lecturer in English at the University of Kent, I can say how powerful reading and writing have been for my career.

“I think it’s great the university is able to sponsor this project and help students engage with literature, reading and writing.”

Organised by the KM Charity Team, the literacy awards are for primary and secondary schools in Kent, Medway, Bromley and Bexley.

The awards categories include; best home-reading initiative; most successful programme for engaging pupils with English as second language; and most engaging book week theme. And there will also be prizes for literacy initiatives using IT, drama, the arts and and cross-curricular opportunities.

Awards coordinator Karen Brinkman said: “I couldn’t agree more with Tom: literacy impacts on so many different aspects of educational and life outcomes.

“So it is really important that initiatives that are successful in raising pupils’ literacy attainment levels are celebrated and publicised with awards like ours.

“And I would urge schools and their staff that know of any projects and teachers that do that to nominate them now.”

Nominations are accepted from teachers, support staff and management. They must be submitted by May 1 at KentLiteracyAwards.co.uk.

In addition to the University of Kent, the awards’ judges are Coram Beanstalk, the Crown Foundation, Golding Vision, Tribeca, Reed Education, The Education People, KM Facilities Management, McCabe Ford Williams and Hempstead House, where the winners will be announced at a ceremony in July.

Watch a video in which Mr Lawrence speaks about the awards here: