Not to be confused with World Book Night – which takes place on April 23rd – World Book Day, which is held on March 5th, is the "biggest, happiest, bookiest celebration of books and reading" in the UK. It's a great occasion and perfect for schools looking to inspire children and young people to not only read more, but to do so for pleasure.

If you're keen to embrace this brilliant event but feel in need of some creative stimulation, then look no further. Our guide offers some suggestions to teachers at primary and secondary schools as to how they can embrace World Book Day and make it a day to remember.

Themed Fancy Dress

Setting the right kind of mood and environment is vital for creating an amazingly bookish atmosphere, so why not give your pupils the opportunity to come dressed as their favourite character from their favourite book?

Also, consider giving your school a temporary makeover, so that it either looks like some sort of grand book repository or a scene out of a classic children's book, like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

The Great Book Exchange

Ahead of World Book Day, and in agreement with parents, ask your pupils to bring in books that they have enjoyed and would be happy to swap for another. This is a great way of getting youngsters talking about their favourite books.

A fair way of exchanging books between pupils is through a lucky dip system. All participants have their names put into a hat and pairs are drawn – they are required to give at least a little overview of the books and what they liked about it (without giving away the story of course).

Tea, Coffee, Books and Cakes

Perhaps more suitable for secondary school pupils, Tea, Coffee, Books and Cakes is about setting aside at least two hours to reading, complemented by some hot drinks (coffee, tea and hot chocolate), and, of course, a plethora of cakes and biscuits.

You could encourage your students to bake some delicious cakes and biscuits for the occasion and maybe make it into a fundraising activity, money which could possibly go towards something book related. Make it even more relaxed with some beanbags and cushions.

The Short Story Challenge

It is entirely possible to write a brilliant short story in a day. In fact, half a day is achievable. Moreover, you can knock up some prose in a handful of hours, if not one. Sure, anything is possible.

Set your pupils the challenge of writing a short story in 60 minutes. It can seem like quite a daunting task, which is why it pays to limit the word count and give them a framework within which to work (a number of characters, a situation, key stages in a narrative – like a challenge to overcome – and some new words to flesh out their vocabulary).

Book Club Supersized

Book clubs have, in recent years, been growing in popularity, with people all over the world participating in them via work, with friends and even family. When done well it gets people reading regularly, gets them engaging in discourse and makes it an occasion to look forward to.

Your school version can be just as engaging and rewarding. Get your students to take ownership over it, as this will not only give them more of stake in the success of the project, but help develop various skills like leadership and teamwork. Where possible, offer incentives – like tokens for new books – and set up extracurricular activities, like visits to libraries or literary events.

Trainee teachers are candid in how difficult their experience of a PGCE is, a fact that is drilled home before they’ve even sat their first class. When being interviewed, one of the key points that is put across to prospective candidates is that it is no small undertaking: it will be hard going, both physically and mentally.

Everyone hits a hurdle, but, with the right kind of support and attitude – a high level of motivation is required – everything starts to fall into place. That’s not to say it gets any easier, but certainly, the more accustomed to a learning environment you become, the more self-assured you are in your own skills and knowledge.

Which is good news in terms of timing, because, about now, there is a slight shift in your focus. While you are still in the throes of your training, you’re now advised to start looking ahead, to finding your first job. This is why you are here after all, and although it can feel like a daunting time, with some thorough research and planning, you can feel confident that you can secure a post in a school that is beneficial to all stakeholders.

Search effectively

The likelihood is that you are not going to find the perfect job straight away – it’s just wishful thinking. Now, that said, you shouldn’t be any less ambitious. You need to secure a position that makes the most sense to you at you start your career.

Key things to consider when looking for a job include finding the best recruiters around (online and in person), scrutinising job adverts effectively and gauging whether prospective schools and yourself are compatible.

Know what you want and are most suitable for. This means tailoring your searches to meet your demands, your experience and your particular skill-set. After all, the last thing you want to do is waste time browsing through loads of jobs that are irrelevant. This can be time-consuming, and as all PGCE students know, time is a luxury.

Applications are about what you can offer

When it comes to penning an application letter, you have to sell yourself, convey in easy to understand and persuasive language everything about you that says, “I have potential”.

What is it, for example, that makes you not only a great investment, but distinct from all your competitors? You application is about “showing off”, although in a more tactful way of course. You want your potential employers to not only be intrigued enough to give you an interview, but be keen on securing you as a teacher.

As general rules go, when it comes to your personal statement, demonstrate how you meet the criteria outlined and, moreover, back up each point with solid examples. Everyone can say that they hit the specifications, but without evidence, it carries no weight and no authority. It has no substance.

Demonstrate flair at the interview process

All the usual rules of interviewing apply – look presentable, be polite and come across confident – but one of the key distinctions with teaching interviews is that you will very likely have to carry out a mock (interview) lesson.

Now, this can be extremely intimidating. Sure you love to teach, but being observed by strangers and within the context of an interview, well, it changes the nature of things drastically. Still, with the right kind of prep, this needn’t be a frightful experience.

Analyse the brief to establish what the objectives are and what is expected of you. Adapt your learning to meet these requirements. You may not carry out the lesson you want to – in-tune with your own educational philosophies – but, for now, it’s a small compromise. Creative freedom can emerge when you’re teaching properly.