- Nearly 30,000 students took part in the Premier's Reading Challenge in 2025
- Western Australian school students logged a record-breaking 494,700 books
- Outstanding schools and students were recognised for their achievements at an awards presentation today
Almost 30,000 Western Australian school students have turned the page on another successful Premier's Reading Challenge, logging a record-breaking 494,700 books and celebrating a shared love of reading.
Premier Roger Cook and Education Minister Sabine Winton today presented awards to the winning schools and students at a ceremony at Parliament House.
Students from kindergarten to Year 12 took part in the challenge, with prizes awarded to individual students in year group categories for the most books read, and schools grouped by their size for the most books read.
This year, one school has also been inducted into the Hall of Fame for reading the most books in their category for three years in a row.
The challenge invited metropolitan and regional students to read and log a range of reading material such as books, eBooks, short stories, graphic novels, poems and talking books.
To complete the challenge, Year 11 and 12 students were expected to read at least six books, with kindergarten to Year 10 students needing to read 12 books or more.
This year, a new 'Story Time' video series featured host Alton Walley and student performers reading books by Western Australian authors and illustrators, giving students an engaging read-along experience that could be enjoyed in classrooms, at home, or with their families.
To further encourage reading and literacy, every primary school library across WA received a copy of the contemporary poetry collection 'If I Could Eat the Stars' during the challenge, which was accompanied by a congratulatory letter from Minister Winton recognising their school's participation.
A total of 1,480 staff volunteered as Challenge Champions to help co-ordinate student engagement.
The challenge operated in partnership with the Association of Independent Schools WA and Catholic Education WA, along with the Premier's Reading Challenge South Australia, and the Western Australian School Library Association.
It was also supported by Fremantle Press, State Library of WA, all WA public libraries, Western Australian Council of State School Organisations, and Officeworks.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"It has been wonderful to see so many young Western Australians embrace the Premier's Reading Challenge this year, developing reading habits that will benefit them well beyond the classroom.
"Reading opens the door to imagination, creativity and lifelong learning, and this successful challenge encourages students to discover the joy and confidence that comes from picking up a book.
"I want to congratulate all of the students and schools who won awards and those who participated in this year's challenge."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"As a former teacher, I know how important reading is for students' learning and development.
"This year's outstanding participation shows that a love of reading continues to thrive in classrooms and homes across Western Australia.
"Every successful Premier's Reading Challenge relies on the dedication of principals, teachers, education assistants and library staff, and I want to thank everyone who supported students to take part in this year's challenge."
