The 540-pupil school in Dorset does use technology. Every class has a projector enabling a computer screen to be shown to the class.

Abbi Arnold, the school’s literacy co-ordinator, said: “We do buy a lot of books and we do spend on ICT but we don’t over-rely on it. It is just one possibility among lots of others.”

The library at Christchurch junior has an annual budget of pound;2,000.

Each class has a class book-in some classes everyone is reading it, others take it home and do activities based on it. In some cases the teacher reads out a bit each day, depending on the year group.

Most of the books in the library are fiction and used in addition to literacy lessons.

Books by Jacqueline Wilson and Roald Dahl are popular. As is the Goosebumps series by RL Stine and the Horrid Henry books by Francesca Simon.

The Harry Potter series is still in demand. Sue Haxby, the librarian and ICT technician, said: “JK Rowling can get kids reading because of the cool factor. Kids will work really hard for Harry Potter We have one child who has had Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban out since September. He is insistent that he is working his way through it and doesn’t want to give up.”