Hayley Barker visited Epping St John's on World Book Day

Hayley Barker - author of Show Stopper and Show Stealer - visited Epping St John’s School as part of World Book Day.

While at the school the author officially opened the new Hive library, kitted out with 300 books donated by parents and teachers.

She also told Year 7 students about her career switch from a teacher to a writer.

Ms Barker, from Chelmsford, said: “I do not think I was the best at English at school.

"I loved English and enjoyed reading and just tried really hard. Yet, I was lucky enough to get a book deal. It shows anything is possible if you try.

“The moment I devoted myself to writing is the moment it stopped being a dream and started being an ambition.

"The best thing about being a writer is that I am getting to do what I love.

“You can do whatever you like. You are good enough and just as good as anyone else. If you have got the determination, you can achieve whatever you want.”

For World Book Day, students also took part in a number of activities including photographing their book shelves at home, recreating scenes from their favourite books in photos,

a book title treasure hunt, blindly selected books wrapped in brown paper as their Book Blind Date and dressing up.

They also got to drink Harry Potter style Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks Inn.

Serife Horner, assistant head and head of English, said: “World Book Day at Epping St John’s has become a massive event; so much so it spans a whole week.

“We are developing a new library and want it to be valued in the way that it should be.

"We are recruiting student librarians from each year group to run the library for their peers.

“We want students to see books being celebrated across the school. It’s not just something that happens in English lessons, we want them to be embracing books and reading all the time.

"Reading is such a big thing in primary school and we are working to spark that love again.”