With over 12000 resources, a dedicated teaching space, a comfortable reading zone, plenty of study areas, a qualified, chartered Librarian and lots of events and activities taking place, the Library is the ideal place for today's learners (and readers!) to become tomorrow's leaders.
Situated at the heart of the school, the Library is a vital, vibrant learning hub of the school, offering a safe, stimulating space for pupils, students and staff to read, study, work, think and be creative.
Your Library is open every day before school (8.00 - 8.40 am), throughout the school day during lessons (but closed 12:45 - 1:15 pm), and after school until 4:30 pm...
... for browsing, borrowing, study and homework help, research, reading, listening, creating, sharing, exploring and discovering...
During three breaks in the week (out of ten) we are closed so that members of our Library-based clubs can enjoy the advantages of a dedicated space in which to pursue their interests. Our clubs are:
During lesson time the Library is frequently buzzing with classes who have been brought in by teaching staff to undertake learning-related activities. Mrs Smith, the Librarian, works in partnership with the class teacher to prepare and run the lessons, enabling pupils to enrich and extend what they are learning in the classroom, as well as develop their all-important independent learning skills and confidence in using the wealth of resources, online and print, available to them.
At the start of Year 7, all pupils visit the Library on a regular basis in their Transition Curriculum lessons to help them familiarise themselves with their new Library, getting to grips with strategies for learning, and for finding, choosing and using information. They then consolidate those skills on future visits with their teachers to investigate specific topics further over the course of the year, and continuing into other years.
In their fortnightly 'IRead' lessons in English, Year 7 pupils are helped along their personal reading journeys, being introduced to a variety of genres, authors and themes and new strategies for discovering exciting things to read. They are given a Reading Journal, which is their creative space for responding to their reading.
A series of ongoing fun activities - some one-off, some annual or termly - help to give pupils an extra perspective on reading and learning. Recent activities include:
Harry Potter Book Night
The new hall at Ysgol Harri Tudur was transformed into Hogwarts Grand Hall as pupils and students enjoyed a range of Potter-related activities, including mind-bending quizzes and an explosive session on "Science or Magic" very kindly provided by Mr Male. Books on our display just flew off the shelves before and after the event!
Fall in Love with a Book
To mark Valentine's Day, pupils and students were invited to go on a 'blind date' with a book, choosing from a selection of good reads chosen by the Rebel Readers and Readers of the Round Table. The books were wrapped in brown paper, with a one-line taster on the outside. Before unwrapping, pupils and students pledged to read and rate the book, and were promised a small prize on its return.
