Year 5 pupils from Newfield Park Primary Academy met award-winning author Jack Meggitt-Phillips at Earls High School in Halesowen as part of the school’s support for the National Year of Reading 2026.
The author, scriptwriter and presenter shared his journey into becoming a professional writer and gave pupils an insight into how he develops ideas and turns them into stories.
The children heard about the experiences and influences that have shaped Meggitt-Phillips’s work before putting their own questions to him. They asked about reading, writing and the creative process, with the session giving them an opportunity to explore the world of books beyond the classroom.
The visit formed part of the Academy’s wider approach to reading, which places a strong emphasis on developing a genuine love of books and literature alongside the skills pupils’ need across the curriculum. The Academy views reading as central to children’s education and has continued to develop opportunities for reading for pleasure, while working with families to encourage pupils to read regularly.
Meggitt-Phillips is best known for his bestselling children’s series, The Beast and the Bethany, which has been translated into more than 30 languages and is being developed for film. The series has received numerous children’s book awards, including the West Sussex Children’s Book Award and Alexandra Palace Children’s Book Award.
His work as a scriptwriter and presenter has also been performed at The Roundhouse and featured on Radio 4.
Steve Payne, Principal at Newfield Park Primary Academy, said: “Reading is fundamental to learning, but it also gives children the chance to discover and imagine new worlds, explore different ideas and simply lose themselves in a good story. We want our children to find books they genuinely love because that enjoyment stays with them long after they leave primary school, offering all sorts of benefits not just for their future learning, but for their wellbeing and personal development too.
“Having the opportunity to meet authors helps bring the world of books to life and shows children where a love of reading, imagination and storytelling can take them.”
The National Year of Reading 2026 is a nationwide campaign encouraging people of all ages to rediscover the enjoyment of reading and make it part of everyday life. Led by the Department for Education in collaboration with the National Literacy Trust and other organisations, the campaign aims to address the decline in reading for pleasure and reconnect people with reading in all its forms.
For schools, the campaign provides an opportunity to broaden pupils’ experiences of reading and highlight the range of ways they can engage with books and stories, from novels and non-fiction to poetry, comics, graphic novels and audiobooks. Its ‘Go All In’ theme encourages children and young people to connect reading with the subjects and interests they already enjoy.
The author visit was one of the ways Newfield Park Primary Academy continues to promote reading for pleasure, giving pupils opportunities to engage with authors and see the creativity behind the books they enjoy.
