As part of the annual event, students from grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 competed in a reading challenge over four weeks, which aimed to make reading fun.

Teacher Di Kennedy said all pages read had to be signed off by a parent or teacher.

Materials read also had to be of a particular reading level or difficulty.

Students who completed 1000 pages received bronze medals, 1500 pages silver, 2000 pages won gold.

The medals were presented at an Olympic-themed prize ceremony last week.

Grade 5 student Emily Brown said the program encouraged her to read more often and had improved her reading level.

“I love the Reading Olympics and getting a gold medal makes me feel really proud,” she said. “It means a lot to me.”

Grade 4 student Tameka Poole said the program had also encouraged her to take up more challenging chapter books.

While not everyone will receive a medal first time around, Ms Kennedy said the program’s four-year length allowed students to work towards gold.

“Just like the real Olympics the medals are only achievable with determination, effort, persistence, self-motivation and honesty,” she said.

“It’s wonderful to watch the effort and hard work that the kids put in. As the program starts in grade 3, it gives the students four years to achieve a medal.

“Some students will achieve a bronze, silver and gold by the time they leave school.”