Teachers go incognito as 'The Masked Reader' for World Book Day

Staff at Skerne Park Academy, in Darlington, disguised themselves as ‘The Masked Reader’ and challenged pupils to guess who they were and what well-known stories they were reading.

The challenge, a play on TV programme, The Masked Singer, saw six teachers use video filters and voice modulators to hide their identities while recording a video of them reading favourite stories.

English Lead Ruth Howard led Skerne Park Academy's World Book Day celebrations (Image: Chris Barron)

Ruth Howard, the school’s English Lead who organised the initiative, said: “We really wanted to do something different for World Book Day this year. We always want to show the children the magic of reading, that books let them have adventures and explore other worlds, and this has been a tremendous success.

“The children have been trying to guess the Masked Readers’ identities all week, and revealing them today has been so exciting.”

Masked Readers included Shrek, an Avatar Na’vi, and Little Red Riding Hood, who were revealed to gasps of disbelief from pupils to be teachers Jamie Dillon, Clair Gooding, and Richard Rutter.

Teacher Jamie Dillon transformed into grouchy ogre Shrek as a Masked Reader for World Book Day (Image: Skerne Park Academy)

Children also competed in an Extreme Reading Challenge, aiming to read a book in the most unusual, extreme, or inventive place they could dream of, submitting photos of themselves reading in trees, with animals, while practising sports, and more.

Year 6’s Evie Hayton-Armstrong scooped first place by reading in the bucket of a gigantic mechanical digger. Mally-Ray Vickers, Year 4, took second place for reading in a police car. Year 1’s Lucas Plane buried himself in teddies while reading to take third place.

The winners were chosen by the school’s student council, and each received a book voucher.

The winners of the Skerne Park Acadmy World Book Day Extreme Reading Challenge with teacher Ruth Howard. From left: Mally-Ray Vickers, Lucas Plane, and Evie Hayton-Armstrong (Image: Chris Barron)

Evie, dressed as her favourite character, Roald Dahl’s Matilda, said: “I like doing World Book Day because it gives us an excuse to read our favourite books again, and we get to dress up as our favourite characters.

“I’m dressed as Matilda Wormwood because she loves school, like me, and she’s just really cool and clever. The Masked Reader and the Extreme Reading Challenge were really good. It was a new idea by the school council, and it’s probably one of the best things we’ve done.”

Evie Hayton-Armstrong scooped the top prize with her choice of Extreme Reading spot! (Image: Skerne Park Academy)

Head teacher Clair Gooding, who even read a book while on horseback, said: “It’s been a really fun day, and it’s a pleasure to see everyone celebrate a love of reading.

“I want to say thank you to all the staff who work not just today, but every day, to inspire a love of reading, to our wonderful school council, and to our fantastic parents for encouraging everyone to read and dress up, and make this another brilliant World Book Day!”