The Acland Burghley School
Library LRC
Monday to Wednesday: 8am-7pm
Thursday to Friday: 8am-5pm
Saturdays from January 2024: 9am – 1pm
During my first term here at Acland Burghley, the main focus has been to re-organise the entire library space, the resources and to reignite our reading culture. It’s within these elements that a library can be magical! Whether that magic helps to boost academic rigour, independent study, or vitally as a quiet calm and safe place to engage with reading as an enjoyable activity. As we near the end of this term, there is evidence that this is occurring and I’m pleased with how students are adapting to a renewed ideal about how we use and engage with the ABS Library LRC. The Y7 Literacy Intervention’s group is another great example of student progress – their confidence has grown so much over the past six weeks.
A great library enables access to relevant information, whether that’s books, electronic resources, periodicals, visitors such as authors, trips to enrich the literary experience, etc. The terms ahead will demonstrate how this is developing – with an overarch of embedding literacy within our taught curriculum, and how the vast literature of our world will become daily discussions points. One example of this is a great idea from a Sixth Form student who will be working with me from January 2024 to set up a hybrid Book Club, with a TED Talks element. Our young people have much to say and read to evoke critical thought, and I can aid this exposition through my role.
The ABS Library Leaders
I would like to say a huge and heartfelt thank you to a team of volunteers who I address as: ‘The ABS Library Leaders’. They are the ‘Superheroes’ of student Librarians who lead not only by a prime example, but by their love of books and everything library-based. They offer their time outside of study to assist, and the wealth of my organisation has been helped along with their passion for having an incredible library-space. I’m unequivocally grateful.
Thank you to:
- Rosie H in Y7
- Kevin R in Y7
- Ármin E in Y7
- Zsofi E in Y7
- Daryl K in Y7
- Adam M in Y7
- Jayden W in Y7
- Evan T in Y7
- Gabe S in Y7
Parents and carers of Y7 and Y8 students
I’ve sent home a letter from Renaissance Learning, with the login details for Accelerated Reader. All Y7 and Y8 students have one lesson with myself within the library. They have already completed their reading age test, and are now starting the journey towards developing into avid and active readers, then quizzing the read book afterwards on the platform. They are to type in the entire web page noted in the letter to retrieve our direct area of the site, and then sign in with their details. My mantra within lessons is: ‘Once you’ve read, do a quiz about that book… then read some more!’
Details of reading ages will be fully available to my colleagues this week, and parents are free to contact me to receive further details.
Sabrina Elliott
Librarian and Curriculum Support Team Manager
selliott@aclandburghley.camden.sch.uk