KEEPING LITERATURE ALIVE: MEET REPTON'S 17 LAUREATES 

A favourite author, a book you cannot put down, a recommendation that introduces you to something unexpected: a culture of reading grows through people sharing what they love. At Repton, 17 newly appointed pupil Laureates will help keep those conversations going.

As champions of reading and custodians of the School’s literary life, the Repton Laureates have a clear purpose: to encourage more pupils to pick up a book and discover the pleasure of reading for themselves.

In our accompanying video, the Laureates introduce their favourite books, authors and genres. Their choices offer a personal introduction to the pupils behind the role and a starting point for anyone wondering what to read next. Hearing a fellow pupil explain why a book matters to them can open a door that a reading list alone might not.

The initiative comes at a time when English faces considerable pressure in higher education, with course closures and cuts prompting concern across the subject’s national organisations. That wider picture makes the work of encouraging young readers all the more important. A lasting interest in literature begins well before a university application, through opportunities to explore books and develop the confidence to form and share an opinion.

Reading deserves that attention. Literature asks us to spend time with experiences beyond our own, to consider unfamiliar perspectives and to look closely at how language shapes meaning. It offers room for imagination and reflection, as well as the simple enjoyment of a compelling story. These are reasons to read whatever a pupil’s eventual subject choices or career ambitions.

At Repton, the Laureates will give that commitment a visible presence within the school community. Alongside promoting reading, they will write commissioned pieces for significant school occasions, contributing their own words to the life of the School.

Their appointment recognises that pupils have an important part to play in sustaining a literary culture. Through their enthusiasm and advocacy, the 17 Laureates will help make reading something to share, discuss and carry beyond the classroom.