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
-
19 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ LEARN A THON DONATIONS EXTENDED! ๐ The St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon is only 5 days away! ๐ A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has already donated and supported our school. Your generosity is helping make this exciting learning experience possible for our students. ๐ฐ Donations via QKR! have been extended and will now close at 12:00pm on Friday 25th September. ๐๏ธ AMAZING PRIZE RAFFLE There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs, with our raffle draw taking place on Tuesday 13th October at the morning assembly. Thereโs still time to get behind your school and support the 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon. ๐ Thank you for your incredible support of our students and our school community!18 Sep 2026
From Facebook
โฝ Stage 2 Soccer Gala Day! โฝ Good luck to our St Nicholas of Myra Stage 2 students as they take to the field at Jamison Park today for the 2026 Stage 2 Soccer Gala Day! We know you will showcase your skills, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day and, most importantly, let your St Nicholas school spirit shine! Play hard, support one another and enjoy every moment. Go St Nickโs! โฝ
More News
19 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ LEARN A THON DONATIONS EXTENDED! ๐ The St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon is only 5 days away! ๐ A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has already donated and supported our school. Your generosity is helping make this exciting learning experience possible for our students. ๐ฐ Donations via QKR! have been extended and will now close at 12:00pm on Friday 25th September. ๐๏ธ AMAZING PRIZE RAFFLE There are some fantastic prizes up for grabs, with our raffle draw taking place on Tuesday 13th October at the morning assembly. Thereโs still time to get behind your school and support the 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon. ๐ Thank you for your incredible support of our students and our school community!
18 Sep 2026
From Facebook
โฝ Stage 2 Soccer Gala Day! โฝ Good luck to our St Nicholas of Myra Stage 2 students as they take to the field at Jamison Park today for the 2026 Stage 2 Soccer Gala Day! We know you will showcase your skills, teamwork and sportsmanship throughout the day and, most importantly, let your St Nicholas school spirit shine! Play hard, support one another and enjoy every moment. Go St Nickโs! โฝ
18 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ The 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon is only 6๏ธโฃ days away! ๐ Weโre excited to share some more of the fantastic prizes that are up for grabs this year! A huge thank you to our generous sponsors for their wonderful donations in support of our school community. Your generosity helps make our Learn a thon such a special event for our students and families. ๐ Some of our amazing prizes include: ๐ณ Entertainment Park Penrith โ 2 x $50 Vouchers ๐ฆ Australian Wildlife Parks โ 5 x Child Vouchers, with a total value of $158 ๐ St Marys League Club โ $50 Voucher ๐ Harry Hartog Penrith โ Book Gift Pack valued at $50 And there are even more wonderful prizes still to come! Stay tuned for more prize announcements over the coming days. There is still time to support our Learn a thon! ๐ Donations can be made through QKR! Simply follow the instructions in QKR! to make your donation. ๐ 6 days to go! Letโs make the 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon one to remember!
18 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Teachers are ready to go at the Stage 2 Soccer Gala Day. Look for the St Nicholas tent and sign in with the teachers. Good luck to all students.
17 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ 2026 Learn a thon Donation Update! ๐ A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to the 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon so far. We are absolutely blown away by the incredible support from our school community! Hereโs an update on donations from each stage as of Tuesday 17th September: ๐ Kindergarten is currently just in front, closely followed by Stage 1, Stage 2 and Stage 3. Itโs still anyoneโs game! Remember, the stage that raises the most money per student will win an awesome Pizza Party or Movie Afternoon in Term 4! ๐๐ฌ Keep those donations coming and help your stage take the lead! Letโs Learn, Donate and support our school community! ๐๐
17 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ The 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon is only 7 days away! ๐ Weโre excited to share some more of the fantastic prizes that are up for grabs this year! A huge thank you to our generous sponsors for their wonderful donations in support of our school community. Your generosity helps make our Learn a thon such a special event for our students and families. ๐ Some of our amazing prizes include: ๐ฆ Taronga Western Plains Zoo โ Family Pass valued at $158 ๐ช iFLY โ Voucher valued at $119 โ National Maritime Museum โ Family Pass valued at $89 ๐งธ Caseyโs Toys โ Gift Pack valued at $50 And there are even more wonderful prizes still to come! Stay tuned for more prize announcements over the coming days. There is still time to support our Learn a thon! ๐ Donations can be made through QKR! Simply follow the instructions in QKR! to make your donation. ๐ 7 days to go! Letโs make the 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon one to remember!
16 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ The 2026 St Nicholas of Myra Learn a thon is only 8 days away! ๐ Weโre excited to share just some of the fantastic prizes that are up for grabs this year! A huge thank you to our generous sponsors and families who have donated prizes in support of our school community. Your generosity helps make our Learn a thon such a wonderful event for our students and families. ๐ Some of our amazing prizes include: ๐ Scenic World โ Family Pass valued at $250 ๐ข Sydney Action Park โ 2 x 2026/27 Season Passes valued at $188 ๐ฆ Taronga Western Plains Zoo โ Family Pass valued at $162 ๐ฌ The Doyle Family โ $200 in Hoyts and Ultimate Gift Cards And this is just the beginning! Stay tuned for more wonderful prizes to be announced over the coming days. There is still plenty of time to get involved and support our students! ๐ Donate via QKR! Simply follow the instructions in QKR! to make your donation. ๐ 8 days to go. Letโs make the 2026 Learn a thon one to remember!
15 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ญ Be The Witness Musical โ๏ธ Our Stage 3 students were privileged to experience Be The Witness at the Riverside theatre in Parramatta. Be The Witness is a call to reflect on the power of discipleship, the cost of following Jesus, and the quiet, world-changing choices we make through faith, compassion and love in action. More than just a musical, it was a shared and uplifting experience that encouraged our students to think deeply about their own faith and how they can live out the message of Jesus in their everyday lives. We are grateful that our Stage 3 students had this wonderful opportunity to strengthen their faith, reflect on the Gospel and be reminded of what it truly means to be the witness. What a wonderful experience for our students! โค๏ธ
15 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ค Voice of Youth Western Finals ๐ค Today, Isabella from Year 6 will represent the Penrith Region at the 2026 Voice of Youth Western Finals! We are incredibly proud of Isabella and the effort, perseverance and skill she has demonstrated to make it this far. Public speaking is not easy and is often considered one of peopleโs greatest fears, but Isabella has embraced the challenge and continues to thrive in front of an audience. Her confidence, preparation and ability to communicate her ideas are a wonderful reflection of her commitment and determination. The whole St Nicholas of Myra school community wishes you all the very best today, Isabella. We are so proud of you! Go Isabella! Weโre cheering you on! ๐๐ค
15 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ JERSEY DAY โ FRIDAY 25th SEPTEMBER ๐ Weโre finishing Term 3 in style! ๐ To celebrate the football finals and mark the final day of Term 3, St Nicholas of Myra Primary School will be holding a Jersey Day on Friday 25th September. Students are invited to wear a jersey of their choice over their school sports uniform. Basketball jerseys can be worn over the school sports shirt. Please remember: โข Jerseys must be worn over the school sports uniform, not instead of it. โข School hats must be worn as usual. โข Students should otherwise attend in full school sports uniform. Weโre looking forward to a fun day of celebrating the footy finals and finishing Term 3 together!
15 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐๐ซ 2026 Learn a thon ๐ฌ ๐งฎ Our inaugural Learn a thon will be held on Thursday, 24th September! Our Learn a thon is a fun filled day where students from Kindergarten to Year 6 will participate in a variety of engaging, hands on learning experiences across a range of curriculum areas and passion projects. Throughout the day, students will rotate through exciting learning sessions designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and a love of learning. As well as being a fantastic educational experience, the Learn a thon is also our major fundraising event for the year. We invite students to seek sponsorship from family and friends to support our school while celebrating the joy of learning. Every dollar raised helps provide valuable learning opportunities and resources for our students. Details of how to donate can be found below. We've organised some exciting rewards to encourage everyone to get involved! Stay tuned and we will be communicating these in the coming days. ๐ Grade Prize - The grade that raises the most money will win a Pizza Party or Movie Afternoon! ๐๏ธ Bonus Raffle Tickets - For every $10 raised, students will receive one bonus raffle ticket for our prize draw. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our families and school community and can't wait to celebrate an amazing day of learning together.
15 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ Kirby Awards โ Term 3, Week 9๐ Congratulations to Malakai and Alithia, who received their Kirby Awards at our Term 3, Week 9 Assembly. These students have consistently demonstrated our school expectations through their learning, behaviour and interactions with others. Their commitment to being safe, respectful and engaged learners is something to be celebrated, and they should be incredibly proud of this achievement. We are proud of the positive example they set for their classmates each day by living the St Nick's Way. Keep up the fantastic work, Malakai and Alithia! ๐โญ๏ธ
15 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ Netball Gala Day โ Senior Boys! ๐ Today, our Senior Boys were presented with their medals for winning their pool at last weekโs 2026 Netball Gala Day! The boys played exceptionally well throughout the day, demonstrating fantastic teamwork, sportsmanship and determination. Their positive attitude, encouragement of one another and commitment on the court were outstanding. What a great reward for an outstanding team effort! ๐ Congratulations, Senior Boys! You should be incredibly proud of your achievement. Well done, boys! ๐
11 Sep 2026
From Facebook
๐ Simmons Collective Challenge Day ๐ Students from St Nicholas of Myra Primary Penrith, St Matthew's Catholic Primary, Windsor St Finbar's Primary, Glenbrook and St Monica's Primary School Richmond came together for our annual Simmons Collective Challenge Day! Students from Stages 2 and 3 pushed themselves outside their comfort zones as they tackled a range of exciting challenges involving coding, STEM activities, computational thinking and mathematical problem-solving. It was a fantastic opportunity to challenge our learning, meet new friends and work collaboratively with students from across our schools. The best part of the day was seeing the incredible support, encouragement and teamwork shown by students across all four schools. It was wonderful to see everyone cheering each other on, celebrating success and working together to overcome each challenge. What a fun and inspiring day of learning, problem-solving and collaboration!
09 Sep 2026
From Facebook
Netball Gala Day We are ready for a great day of competition. Look for the St Nicholas tent when arriving at the venue. Good luck everyone ๐๐