VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


also helped us to identify areas where our pupils are struggling to engage, poetry being a prime example. We now hold termly poetry slams and encourage the children to learn a poem and then perform it. The children who attend the slam then vote for their favourite and the winner receives a small book-related prize. From this, we then select children to enter the National Poetry by Heart competition. Interest and reading poetry for pleasure has soared!


How crucial is the support of a senior leadership team (SLT)?


At the beginning of each school year, I find out what our pupils’ reading journeys have been like so far. Who are their favourite authors and/or illustrators? What are their favourite books? Do they have any specific hobbies, likes or dislikes? Are they reading at home, with or without adults? By getting to know our children as readers, we can tailor reading corners, source books that will be enticing and look at displays or activities that they will find interesting. By asking our pupils to complete a short questionnaire at the beginning of each year, we gather all the information we need.


Our children can also contribute to our pupil wishlist which I then refer to when I’m ordering or sourcing new books. The children find this so exciting; they can’t wait for their book to arrive!


How do you make your library an enjoyable place to be?


We find innovative displays work really well and encourage a wide variety of children into the library. During the World Cup we created a display of football books; to celebrate the Olympics, we had a display of sports books; and recently, we had a ‘Strictly Come Reading’ display, full of books on dancing. In January, we will share books that the children may have watched film adaptations of over the holidays. Opening our school library at lunchtime has also been a great success. I encourage and support our pupil librarians to run a number of lunchtime clubs that often generate interest in the library. Over the years we have had a Lego- based club, drawing clubs, pom pom clubs and crochet clubs.


We have found organising special events, like author visits, work wonders too. They are always a powerful way to encourage book borrowing. Not only in terms of encouraging the children to read for pleasure but also to inspire some potential budding young writers, and we have a rolling cycle of different competitions that we always run from the library, including our regular library scavenger hunts.


And, of course, enjoyment is down to the books in our library and this goes back to


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knowing our children. Graphic novels are among the most borrowed books in both libraries that I work in. Our Comic Book Corner has outward facing comic books that are on permanent display and constantly flying off the shelves.


Has the success of your school library contributed to increased levels in reading for pleasure?


Without a shadow of a doubt. Whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, magazines, newspapers or poetry, our children will find something that is of interest to them.


Our pupil librarians and reading ambassadors play an important part, too. In my experience, children are often motivated to read by their peers. They provide book recommendations and act as reading role models throughout the academic year. Their enthusiasm is often more effective than us teachers telling our pupils to read, particularly as the children get older. Activities in, and in relation to the library have


Support from SLT is crucial to the success of the library. It is key to embedding the work of the library across the school. At the start of every year, I meet with our Headteacher to discuss whole school priorities and discuss how the library can contribute to these things. It is great to be able to look at all of the skills that a librarian can offer a school and be able to tailor this skillset to whole-school priorities, whether it be attracting new parents with rhyme time sessions, supporting pastoral work by providing texts on wellbeing, or working with teachers to improve their knowledge of children’s literature. I will then regularly meet with both the Head, Senco and reading lead to ensure that the library is being used to maximum impact to support our children and school developments. I also have a school governor who I report to on an annual basis, to feed back on my work across the year and ensure that the governing body understands the impact of a well-run, staffed school library.


Should every school have a library? Yes! Whether your school has a large or small library, the power a library can hold is immense. Even for those schools which may not have a library, just the power of books and integrating reading for pleasure is crucial.


I truly believe that every school should have a staffed library, and that’s why I’m part of the Great School Libraries campaign, campaigning for schools to have just that. Although we hope to be successful (please join us!), it’s going to take some time. Developing a love of reading in our children is so important. If we can achieve that, our children will benefit for years to come.


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