LITERACY levels were given a boost with a pirate-themed reading session.

Pupils at Carterton Primary School are taking part in Every Child Writes, part of the latest stage of the Oxfordshire Reading Campaign.

Every Child Writes focuses on seven- to nine-year-olds from 60 schools across the county.

Children at the primary school in Burford Road made portholes and dressed in pirate gear on Wednesday to welcome the council’s cabinet member for children, education and families Melinda Tilley.

Teaching assistant Sandie Watters said: “It has been thoroughly enjoyable – children have embraced this wholeheartedly and they are writing with a purpose.

“Well done the pirate writing crew.”

Mrs Tilley added: “I think this is absolutely brilliant. It gives a theme to learning to write and read – I have never seen anything like it.”

Carwyn Phillips, nine, said: “I think it is awesome – we have been handwriting, and sometimes we read books and talk and spell words.”

Callum Williamson, eight, added: “Sometimes we look at new books and take spellings home to practise.”

Lucy Hampton, seven, said: “We made a den and have been doing handwriting.”

The Oxfordshire Reading Campaign was launched in 2012 and more than 1,200 primary school pupils took part over two years.

The campaign, run by the county council and the National Literacy Trust, and backed by the Oxford Mail, was a resounding success, boosting pupils’ reading ages by 13 months after just four months.

The reading campaign was launched after Key Stage 1 results for seven year olds in Oxford were the worst in the country in 2010.

Now a second phase of the campaign has been launched, called Gaining Momentum.

The county council is again working with the literacy trust, and this time the focus is on boosting literacy and communication skills among Year 7 and 8 pupils – those aged 11 to 13.

The £1m initiative currently involves 10 secondary schools across Oxfordshire and 10 more secondary schools are being invited to sign up for the second year.

As part of Gaining Momentum, work is also being carried out with pupils from county primary schools, with the programme called Every Child Writes.

Staff from Lancashire’s Edge Hill University have been working with pupils and the literacy trust on the programme.