Book Week is a celebration of stories, imagination and creativity, but helping children love reading isn't just something that happens during one week of the year. The good news? It doesn't take expensive resources or hours of extra time. Often, it's the small, recurring habits that make the biggest difference.
1. Let them see you read
Children are more likely to value reading when they see the adults around them enjoying it too. Whether it's a novel, magazine, recipe or newspaper, showing that reading is part of everyday life helps build positive attitudes towards books.
2. Read together, even after they've learnt to read
Many parents stop reading aloud once their child becomes an independent reader, but shared reading continues to support vocabulary, comprehension and a love of storytelling well into the primary years. It also creates moments to connect and talk about ideas.
3. Give children the freedom to choose
Not every child will be drawn to classic novels, and that's okay! Graphic novels, comics, fact books and magazines all count. When children can explore topics they're genuinely interested in, reading becomes something they want to do rather than something they have to do.
4. Make reading part of everyday life
Ten or fifteen minutes before bed or reading together after school helps establish reading as a regular habit. Consistency matters more than long sessions.
5. Talk about stories
Asking simple questions like "What surprised you?" or "Who was your favourite character?" encourages children to think more deeply about what they've read. These conversations also help develop confidence and comprehension.
6. Celebrate curiosity, not perfection
Children don't need to finish every book they start or read at the same level as their peers. The goal is to nurture confidence and enjoyment. When reading feels positive, children are more likely to keep coming back to it.
Wondering how schools help children become confident readers?
At Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD), engaging literacy experiences, dedicated teachers and well-resourced libraries help students build the skills and confidence to thrive as readers and learners.
Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese
www.parra.catholic.edu.au
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04 Sep 2026
From Facebook
What a wonderful morning celebrating all the incredible fathers, grandfathers, and father figures in our school community! ๐โจ Here is a look at how we spent our Fatherโs Day celebration today: Father's Day Breakfast: We kicked off the morning with an early Father's Day breakfast. Father's Day Liturgy: We came together in prayer, reflecting on the love, guidance, and strength our dads provide every day. Special Student Presentations: Each grade took to the stage to share what they love most about their dads. Classroom Activities: Dads joined the kids in the classrooms for fun collaborative games and some friendly competition. Picnic Lunch: We wrapped up the celebrations enjoying lunch together in the sunshine. Thank you to all the father figures who joined us and made today so memorable, and to our staff and parent volunteers who helped bring it all together. Happy Father's Day to all our amazing dads this weekend! Check out some of our favourite moments from the day below ๐๐ธ28 Aug 2026
From Facebook
A few more shots of the Book Week fun at Holy Cross today ๐๐ The students had a great time dressing up, and thoroughly enjoyed the visit by renowned author Tim Harris โ๏ธ
Latest news More news
04 Sep 2026
From Facebook
What a wonderful morning celebrating all the incredible fathers, grandfathers, and father figures in our school community! ๐โจ Here is a look at how we spent our Fatherโs Day celebration today: Father's Day Breakfast: We kicked off the morning with an early Father's Day breakfast. Father's Day Liturgy: We came together in prayer, reflecting on the love, guidance, and strength our dads provide every day. Special Student Presentations: Each grade took to the stage to share what they love most about their dads. Classroom Activities: Dads joined the kids in the classrooms for fun collaborative games and some friendly competition. Picnic Lunch: We wrapped up the celebrations enjoying lunch together in the sunshine. Thank you to all the father figures who joined us and made today so memorable, and to our staff and parent volunteers who helped bring it all together. Happy Father's Day to all our amazing dads this weekend! Check out some of our favourite moments from the day below ๐๐ธ
28 Aug 2026
From Facebook
A few more shots of the Book Week fun at Holy Cross today ๐๐ The students had a great time dressing up, and thoroughly enjoyed the visit by renowned author Tim Harris โ๏ธ
28 Aug 2026
From Facebook
This morning we held our annual Book Week Book Parade and it was another exciting event for our community! ๐๐ The students had a great time singing and dancing as they paraded their costumes for everyone to see. Well done to everyone for getting involved and making it so much fun! Big thanks to Mrs Morris and Mrs Calabritta who did an awesome job of hosting the event!
28 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Celebrating 40 years of Catholic education in our Diocese! ๐โจ On Wednesday, our student representatives attended the annual Education Mass at St Patrickโs Cathedral, Parramatta. This special Mass brought together students, staff and parents from across the Diocese of Parramatta to celebrate their vital role in the mission of the Church. Adding to the joy, this year's service coincided with the 40th Anniversary of the Diocese of Parramatta, marking four decades of rich history, learning, and community across our Catholic school system. We are so proud of our student leaders for representing our school at such a meaningful event!
28 Aug 2026
Our schools are cracking the reading code
Do you remember how you learned to read? For a vital skill that is linked to all other learning, itโs surprisingly difficult to explain how to go about learning it.
21 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Thank you to our Year 2 students who shared their learning with us this afternoon! ๐๐
20 Aug 2026
Six Habits That Help Children Develop a Love of Reading
Book Week is a celebration of stories, imagination and creativity, but helping children love reading isn't just something that happens during one week of the year. The good news? It doesn't take expensive resources or hours of extra time. Often, it's the small, everyday habits that make the biggest difference.
18 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Well done to all eight students who presented speeches at this morningโs school final of the Voice of Youth competition ๐ Special congratulations to Amelie and Xavier who have been chosen to represent Holy Cross at the Upper Hills Cluster Final next week ๐๐
17 Aug 2026
From Facebook
This week our Year 2 students had a blast learning all about forces with the team from Fizzics Education ๐ฅผ๐ฌ๐ญ
12 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Congratulations to all students who ran, jumped and threw at the Blacktown Zone Athletics Carnival on Tuesday. We had some amazing results, many students making finals or placing top 10 in their events. Special congratulations to the following students who have qualified for the Parramatta Diocesan Carnival: Neil B ๐ฅLong Jump Leanna F 4th 100m Brendan F 4th Long Jump Louis H ๐ฅ800m Nicholas H ๐ฅDiscus Aarick K 4th 800m Ava L 4th 100m ๐ฅ 200m 4th Long Jump ๐ฅShot Put Yuvraj M ๐ฅLong Jump Alana T ๐ฅShot Put ๐ฅDiscus Thank you to all the parents who came and cheered all our students on!
12 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Today, our school community gathered in prayer to celebrate the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. ๐๐ Through our liturgy, we reflected on Maryโs life of faith, her trust in God and her humble response to His call. Mary reminds us of the importance of saying โyesโ to God and following Him with courage and love. ๐๐
10 Aug 2026
From Facebook
Another fantastic sporting achievement from our community! ๐๐ On the weekend Max and Yuvraj from Year 5 and Zac from Year 3 participated in the NSW Taekwondo State Championships and achieved outstanding results! ๐ฅ Max โ Silver Medal 10โ11 Years, Red Belt, 34โ38 kg ๐ฅ Yuvraj โ Silver Medal 10โ11 Years, Red Belt, 31โ34 kg ๐ฅ Zac โ Gold Medal 8โ9 Years, Red Belt, 28โ31 kg All three boys will now be heading to Canberra for the National Championships! ๐ฅ What a fantastic achievement!
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