Three Thanet Schools Make Story Time Special at Chartwell House

Chartwell House Care Home, Broadstairs, welcomed young readers from three local primary schools to celebrate World Book Day 2026, in an event that brought together generations through a shared love of stories.

Year 6 students from Bromstone Primary School, mixed-age students from Newlands Primary School in Ramsgate, and Year 2 children from St Mildred’s Primary Infant School visited the Broadstairs care home to read to residents, marking the second consecutive year that Bromstone Primary has participated in the tradition.

The visit created memorable moments for both residents and young readers alike. Seven-year-old Lachlan from St Mildred’s said: “I really enjoyed reading to everyone. I would like to do it again.”

Louise Knight, Teaching Assistant at St Mildred’s Primary Infant School, described the experience: “It’s the first time we’ve celebrated World Book Day in this way. I think it’s wonderful for the children to meet new people, to read to them, and to make people happy. The children’s faces lit up when we walked in, and the resident’s faces lit up too.”

For the participating schools, the event represented an opportunity to take learning beyond classroom walls. Tom Abel, Year 6 Teacher and KS2 Reading Lead at Bromstone Primary School, explained: “We chose to bring children who regularly read at home to reward them. As a school we encourage a culture of reading for pleasure, both in the school and in the community. It’s a lovely event, it’s great to get out into the community, and for the children to represent Bromstone.”

David Bailey, Headteacher at Newlands Primary School, emphasized the educational value: “For World Book Day, it’s fantastic our children are moving outside of school and into the community. We want to encourage a love of reading and events like this give our children that purpose, to share books and to hear from other people and their stories. It’s a great opportunity for them to be out practising a range of skills. Reading is the cornerstone of our curriculum, so children being able to access books and enjoy reading from an early age is key.”

Bailey also highlighted efforts to make World Book Day inclusive for all families: “In our area we serve a high proportion of children who access free school meals, so we are aware of the barriers World Book Day can sometimes pose for families in terms of dressing up. That’s why recently we sourced and had donated lots of costumes so that everyone can take part and dress up.”

Hollie, Head of Lifestyle and Wellbeing at Chartwell House Care Home, reflected on the impact: “Seeing our residents light up while the children read to them was really special. Books have a wonderful way of bringing people together, and it was lovely to hear the laughter and conversations happening all around the home. Days like this mean a lot to our residents and remind us how important community connections are.”

The event forms part of Chartwell House’s Life Enrichment Programme, which focuses on creating meaningful connections and activities that support residents’ wellbeing.