We received a record 9,000 entries for the Big Diamond Jubilee Read competition! View results
The Big Diamond Jubilee Read
Supported by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall
Schools celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and got their children excited about reading and writing by taking part in this challenge!
A Royal reading and writing supporter
The competition in a nutshell
To mark the Queen’s 60 year reign, members of the Royal Family are going on a tour of the Commonwealth. By taking part in The Big Diamond Jubilee Read children set off on their very own tour too, moving around Commonwealth countries on a fun classroom wall map as they read their chosen books. We added a writing element to the competition for children to enjoy too: This gave them the chance to share their thoughts about their favourite book with children in another Commonwealth country.
A Royal reading and writing supporter
We were delighted that Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall chose to support The Big Diamond Jubilee Read. Here is her message to all the pupils who took part in the competition:
“As Patron of the National Literacy Trust, I am delighted that The Big Diamond Jubilee Read Competition has chosen the Royal Family's tour of the Commonwealth to inspire children to read and write. I do hope you all enjoy the challenge of reading your way round the classroom map and following the journeys we make. I am sure you will also benefit enormously from your own voyage of discovery through the world of books.
How the competition worked…
Diamond Reader
Pupils collected reading miles by spending time reading books both at home and at school. These miles allowed them to travel around the Commonwealth on a classroom poster. Motivational “check points” along the way were some of the countries being visited by the Royal Family on their Diamond Jubilee tour. Pupils collected their reading miles in their special reading passport – 33,000 miles (or 11 hours) in total.
Every pupil who completed their reading journey around the Commonwealth was crowned a Diamond Reader and can be entered into a prize draw to win some fantastic prizes!
Diamond Writer
Pupils who entered the writing competition simply had to choose a book they have really enjoyed reading on their Commonwealth tour and then write to another child, to tell them what they enjoyed about it and why they should read it. Entries were judged by an expert panel and the most creative entries won prizes and the chance to become crowned the Diamond Writer!
The prizes
For the Diamond Reader
- For the winning pupil: A winner’s certificate personally signed by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, a book voucher worth £50, courtesy of Oxford University Press, and a family day out worth up to £75.
- For their school: A big book package worth £500, courtesy of Oxford University Press
For the Diamond Writer
- For the winning pupil: A winner’s certificate personally signed by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall, a book voucher worth £50, courtesy of Oxford University Press, and a family day out worth up to £75.
- For their school: A writing workshop from Gill Lewis, author of Sky Hawk, and a 12 month PRO account with Radiowaves, the award-winning safe social learning platform (worth up to £1000).
Supporting resources
Every school could The Big Diamond Jubilee Read materials to help them run the challenge in school:
- Wall map. Download
- Reading miles passport. Download
- Certificate templates. Download
- Well done sticker templates. Download
Who could enter?
The Big Diamond Jubilee Read was open to all UK primary schools and due to popular demand, we also opened up the challenge to Key Stage 3 students – so UK secondary schools could get involved too.
International entries
Given the international theme of the competition, we also invited schools outside the UK to take part in the Big Diamond Jubilee Read. There was a special international prize draw* and the winners will be sent a certificate, personally signed by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall.
Delivered in partnership by
The Big Diamond Jubilee Read is delivered in partnership by the National Literacy Trust and Oxford University Press.
Find out more about the partnership
