St Cedd’s School win ‘Most Innovative School’ Award

St Cedd’s School has scooped the ‘Most Innovative School’ title in the 2020 Juniper Book Awards for its creative Library display and environmental activities inspired by Sita Brahmachari’s book Where the River Runs Gold, one of six books shortlisted for the Juniper Book of the Year Award.

St Cedd’s School used the book’s strong environmental theme as the concept for its Bees and Flowers display which showcased artwork made by pupils from age 3-11. The School’s project began for Book Week and challenged all pupils to create bees or flowers using recycled materials. This task encouraged children to be sustainable and have an awareness of the environment, a topic the School endeavours to teach all of its pupils.

The School’s Year 6 Book Club curated the award-winning display and also read books, wrote reviews and made a film trailer for the Juniper Book Awards. Other year groups participated in various environment-focused activities including planting sunflower seeds in pots they made from old newspapers and plant labels made from lollipop sticks.

Speaking of St Cedd’s School’s ‘Most Innovative School’ Award win, the Juniper Book Awards “liked the link to the environment and bees inspired by Where the River Runs Gold by Sita Brahmachari which unleashed the school’s creativity.”

Mrs Lynne Wheater, Librarian at St Cedd’s School on New London Road in Chelmsford, says: “This is the first time the awards have been opened up to Year 6 and we were delighted to take part. Pupils enjoyed reading all six shortlisted books and voting for their favourite. Many of our teachers also read the shortlisted books as part of our whole school reading ethos. We are very pleased that our pupils’ enthusiasm and creativity has been recognised by this award.”

The Juniper Book Awards, which celebrated the winners of its Best Book Review, Most Innovative School, Best Book Trailer and Juniper Book of the Year awards virtually this year, has had its most successful year to date with 45 schools from around Essex, Thurrock and Hertfordshire reading the shortlisted books. Announced on 19 May 2020, the ‘Book of the Year’ was The Haven by Simon Lelic.

For further information, visit www.junipereducation.org/juniper-book-awards.