A COUNCILLOR has stepped in to help Selby Community Primary School which is suffering a book shortage during the pandemic.

Councillor Stephanie Duckett has donated books to provide younger pupils with enough material to keep reading at home.

Due to Covid restrictions, and the need to quarantine books on return to school, the number of books for pupils has significantly reduced. The youngest children need specialist phonic books to support their early reading and these are not usually the books families would have at home.

Ian Clennan, headteacher at the school, welcomed the donation, adding: “For the youngest children to learn to read, they need books which match the sounds they are learning at school. Home learning and the need to quarantine books has created some challenges for us."

“This will make a huge difference to our families and help to improve children’s future love of reading.”

Councillor Stephanie Duckett, said: “I’m really happy to support this project that will help the younger pupils. Once they have the basic skills, a lifetime of enjoying reading and learning awaits them.”