2026 Premier's Reading Challenge
Welcome to the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge
The Challenge aims to encourage a love of reading for leisure and pleasure in students, and to enable them to experience quality literature. It is not a competition but a challenge to each student to read, to read more and to read more widely. The Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) is open to all NSW students in Kindergarten to Year 10, in government, independent, Catholic and home schools. If you need help using the website and the answer cannot be found on the PRC Support site, please contact us at prc@det.nsw.edu.au
2026 Dates
Challenge opens: Monday 23 February 2026
Challenge closes to students: Friday 18 September 2026
Challenge closes to coordinators: Friday 25 September 2026
PRC artwork updates on Student Experience site: Wednesday 4 February, 2026
2026 posters: Posters have now been dispatched to all schools, and should arrive by Friday 13 February. Tracking labels have been used for all public schools to ensure you can track the progress of your posters.
All tracking emails will be sent to your school's Administration email from PRC_SBM - so please ask your front office staff to forward your school's email onto you.
Non-government schools can contact the PRC team for their tracking information.
Information sessions
Using PRC resources to nuture a reading culture
About: This online session will unpack:
- Shaun Tan's artwork analysis resources
- the Wide Reading Program template
- the Book Bites podcast and associated resources
- newsletter and award templates.
Location: Online via MS Teams
Date: Tues 17 Feb 2026, 3:30-4:30pm
Register here
Start of Challenge information sessions
About: Join the PRC team for a comprehensive overview of how to manage student reading records via the PRC website as a coordinator. These sessions are specific to the school sector you work in.
Public schools:
Location: Online via MS Teams
Date: Tues 24 Feb 2026, 3:30-4:30pm
Register here
Non-government schools:
Location: Online via MS Teams
Date: Tues 4 Mar 2026, 3:30-4:30pm
Register here
Coodinators have restricted access to tools until the Challenge opens.
A reminder that coordinators do not have access to view, create or edit student reading records until the PRC opens on Monday 23 February.
Non-Government coordinators do not have access to perform student uploads or access student passwords until the Challenge opens. You can prepare your uploads by following the steps in this guide .
Term 1 book list update is now LIVE
The Term 1 2026 booklist is now live! 462 new books have been added to the book lists. Additional book list updates occur at the start of Term 2 and Term 3.
Click on the image below, or visit the booklists page to check out the new titles added to the PRC booklists this year!
Stay up-to-date with the PRC newsletter
Please refer to your relevant sector's coordinator newsletter for more information:
Non-government schools newsletter
Public schools newsletter
View the 2025 PRC report!
A record 441,462 students participated in the PRC this year. View our detailed breakdown, including the most read books of all time and recently published titles, in our 2025 PRC Report!
Missed 2025 PRC entries:
Coordinators are no longer able to view, add to, or validate student reading records for 2025.
Please refer to How do I see who has completed the PRC now the Challenge is closed? if you are unsure if a student has a valdiated reading record.
- If you have a complete but not validated reading record: Please email the PRC team with any student names. The PRC team will validate these reading records on your behalf.
- If you have an incomplete student reading record: Your principal will need to complete a post-challenge validation application which can be found here.
2025 Sydney Writer's Festival Author Talks
Head backstage with students from Caddies Creek Public School and Glenwood High School as they interview authors that feature on the PRC booklists! View these talks for free any time on The Arts Unit website. Pair each interview with our downloadable resource kit, packed with engaging activities to spark reflection, creativity and help students discover their next great read.
The 2025 NSW Premier's Reading Challenge is proudly supported by Digital Partner, ePlatform and Supporter, Primary English Teaching Association Australia (PETAA).