You’ll remember that last month we announced our excitement about the launch of a new initiative in conjunction with Reading Cloud - to support four schools across the UK with developing their libraries.
The initiative will support these four settings to take their school library to the next level, improve learning, encourage reading for pleasure and further foster a whole school reading culture.
As part of ‘Unlocking the Potential of your School Library’, the four schools receive free access to the Reading Cloud library management system for a year. We'll also be working with Reading Cloud to provide personalised training and guidance from in-house experts to help enhance their library and engage their students in reading. The initiative also includes a free annual subscription to the School Library Association to deliver CPD and help with the management of their school libraries.
Let’s tell you a bit more about these schools, why they were selected and join us on their journey to develop their libraries.
Ewhurst C of E Infant School is a small infant school which has reading for pleasure at its heart but they have never before had a library management system. Library management is a part time responsibility as the individual managing it has multiple roles. Like many other small school settings they have limited staff for the running of their library which they run with the help of a parent volunteer. Providing a management system with Reading Cloud will support literacy in the school, encourage independent learning and help make it easier to loan books for the benefit of all 62 children on the school roll.
Ewhurst wants to have a cosier library set up that is inviting for pupils, and further make reading a priority across the school, so that it is evident in every room that they love books! They also want to plan more reading for pleasure activities but need some good ideas, and we are excited about supporting them in this endeavour.
Christ Church C of E Primary School is a small one-form entry primary school on the outskirts of London. One in eight primary schools across the UK don’t have a school library - and Christ Church was one of these schools before embarking upon this initiative. They were selected as they needed support with creating a library space, a dedicated space that puts reading at the heart of the school.
Christ Church wants the library to be used by all classes on a regular basis and be a space where pupils can get lost in a book. It should be inspirational and plan to train pupils to be librarians and take ownership of the space. More on this soon, as they’ve been busy over the past couple of months!
As they haven’t had a library before, they haven’t used library management software before so we will be supporting them on every step of their journey, as they barcode, scan, stamp, catalogue and shelve their books - and encourage the gifting of lots of new books via the wishlist function on LoveReading4Kids.
Hope Academy is a co-educational secondary school with academy status located in Newton-le-Willows in Merseyside with a school roll of 1350. Their library is a large open space across two floors, it’s a busy library with a full time librarian, and many classes being taught in the space. And the Library even has its own Twitter account @Hope_AcademyLib
The vision of Hope Academy is to move their library service to the next level to engage students more effectively in reading that is both academic and for pleasure. We want to hear more about their Books and Biscuit Club at lunchtime in their library, mine’s a Jammy Dodger please!
The dream is that the library provides reading materials to engage all students in formats that stimulate reading for pleasure as well as promoting academic reading and study skills to support the curriculum. Introducing the Reading Cloud management system will support this.
Christ's Church of England School in Richmond has a roll of 1036 students but has a real family feel. They have a dedicated library space with a full-time librarian, and have previously been using a Library Management System, however they would like to change to a more user friendly and digitally accessible LMS for their school. Step in Reading Cloud and this programme initiated by LoveReading4Kids.
The school would like a larger physical space that would help with division of study space and reading/activity space. Christ’s School are keen to integrate digital resources, eBooks and audiobooks into the student and staff's library usage and encourage students to be more independent with research and sourcing reading material by using the online library catalogue.
By using The Reading Cloud management system and support from LoveReading4Kids, the school hopes to achieve a library that is used to support curriculum delivery through topics and subjects and to continue to develop a love of reading culture in the school.
On this programme, we’ll be working with Reading Cloud to provide personalised training and guidance from in-house experts to help enhance their library and engage their students in reading. The initiative also includes a free annual subscription to the School Library Association to deliver CPD and help with the management of their school libraries.
If one of these schools’ scenarios sounds like your setting, do join us on our year-long journey, seeing what changes are implemented along the way, what impact the changes have and get hints and tips for your library journey.
If you have any questions at any time, don’t hesitate to email us on schools@lovereading.co.uk - we’re always happy to hear about your reading for pleasure journey - and will help where we can!
Is your school signed up to our community? If not, what are you waiting for? Sign your school up now: www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/school/register
And we also have our LoveReading4Kids newsletters to keep you fully apprised of the latest and greatest books being published for the children in your life. Sign up now www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/register
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