Book Talk: 2026 NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge

The NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge is now open and Fort Street is excited to be participating!

Celebrating 25 years of the Premier’s Reading Challenge

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge! Since it began in 2001, millions of students across New South Wales have enjoyed taking part in this wonderful reading journey. Fort Street is proud to be celebrating this milestone and joining in the fun again this year!

What is the NSW PRC?

The PRC is a statewide initiative that encourages students to develop a lifelong love of reading for fun and pleasure. It is not a competition, but a challenge to inspire every student to read more books and explore different kinds of stories and information.

All students who complete the Challenge and have their reading logged and validated by our PRC coordinator will receive a certificate signed by the Premier of NSW.

How many books do students need to read?

Read 20 books independently. At least 10 must come from the official PRC booklists, and up to 10 can be books of their own choice. If a book is part of an approved PRC series, students can include up to 5 of those books on their Challenge list and up to 10 more from the same series as Personal Choice books. Books must be added to students’ online reading records by Friday 18 September 2026 to be validated and qualify for a certificate.

How do students log their reading?

Students can log their reading using the PRC Student Experience website, which they can access with their Department of Education username and password via the Student Portal. A video guide to help students use the site is available below.

How can students find PRC books?

Books that are in the PRC have a sticker on the spine and are also tagged in the online school catalogue, Oliver.

What do students get for completing the PRC?

The NSW PRC tracks student progression throughout their schooling.

1-3 years of completion: Standard certificate

4 years of completion: Gold certificate 5-6 years of completion: Standard certificate

7 years of completion: Platinum certificate 8-10 years of completion: Standard certificate

PRC Medal: The PRC medal is awarded to Year 9 or 10 students only.

Year 9 students qualify by completing the Challenge every year from Year 3 to Year 9. Year 10 students qualify by completing the Challenge seven times between Year 3 and Year 10, allowing them to skip one year.

If your child has previously participated in the PRC but has changed schools, make sure you check their challenge history. If they have previously attended a non-government school, their accounts may need to be merged.

If you have any questions or want to support your child’s reading, please get in touch!

PRC coordinator

Ms Donna Page

Teacher Librarian