Wolsingham School and Community College has been running the Accelerated Reader scheme for four years and have now achieved master school status.

Wolsingham is the first in the United Kingdom to receive the award and is in the top 10 per cent of 75,000 schools globally running the scheme.

James Bell, Director of Professional Services at Accelerated Reader, described Wolsingham's award as: "World class; world class students and world class teachers, an incredible achievement and well deserved for all the hard work."

Over the four years of operation, students at Wolsingham have read and successfully been quizzed on more than 30,000 books. Headteacher Andrea Crawshaw said: "Literacy skills and reading ages have been significantly improved, and a culture of enthusiasm for books and reading has been the result. The school library is busy from 8.15am each morning with students keen to quiz and change their books."

The celebration included prizes for all students. Exceptional students who have read more than three million words this year were singled out and staff involved in the programme received certificates.