An expanding school is going book-mad – and is hoping to get kind-hearted members of the public to help stock its new-build library.

Horton Park Primary, in Canterbury, hopes to amass 3,000 books to fill the shelves of its new library and learning centre, built as part of a £3 million expansion.

Governors have set aside £30,000 to buy new books, but the school hopes to get people to match the cash.

And the bid is only part of a plan to put reading firmly at the heart of school life.

Book clubs are being set up before and after school, while a ‘time out’ area has been created where children can sit down with a good read. The scheme, called Read All About It, is being unveiled today as the school works on its ambition to raise its Ofsted rating from good to outstanding.

The school’s community and learning manager, Naveed Mushtaque, said: “The whole school ethos is now centred around reading, especially reading for pleasure. It’s crucial that we provide opportunities for children to read. We want to provide children with a range of books.”

He said people could donate money to the fund and choose the book or books they’d like it to pay for. A certificate thanking them would then be placed inside the book. Alternatively, they could donate new books.

The fundraising drive starts today with an assembly for children and parents, where the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Dale Smith, will be the guest of honour.

Mr Mushtaque said information booklets were being sent out to parents but that one dad had already given £10 and selected a book.

He said: “The parent chose a book about a mosque in Paris. He is a Muslim, so it was appropriate for him. We want to get a great selection of books, where our children are accessing a good range of vocabulary.”

The new-build extension also includes six new classrooms and a sports hall.

Over the next two years, the school is expanding to have two classes in every year group, which will see the number of pupils increase from 250 to 400.