The TC Library – Up and Running! It is hard to believe that the new library has only been open for a year. In such a short time, it feels like it has established itself at the heart of the School. A vast array of events for pupils from Nursery up through the Senior School have included author visits, numerous competitions and quizzes, clubs and activities and - perhaps most importantly - over 4,000 books have been borrowed. No guarantee that they have all been read, but hopefully we are helping to develop a habit of reading for pleasure. One of many highlights of the year - thanks to our supportive parents – was the Bookfair. As well as selling many books we benefitted from £500 of new books for the library. as well as a ‘Drop Everything and Read’ session in the afternoon. Keen older users of the library were invited to spend the afternoon reading to younger classes. This then sparked the ‘Early Birds Reading Project’, where Senior School pupils now volunteer regularly to support Preparatory pupils with their reading. “Thank you for the author visits in the new library. They are making a big impact on my boys. I have found them with torches under their duvets at bedtime, reading their books from the last author visit - which is just brilliant.” Roshnee Sidhu, Parent Our Literacy Day for Years 6 and 7 was a favourite. Who knew that phrases ‘under the thumb’ and ‘fed up’ both originate from terms used in falconry? The birds of prey visit and other activities throughout the day highlighted the fact that literacy is a key skill across all areas of the curriculum and even some that are not on the curriculum. On World Book Day, we took part in a Readathon, with classes up to Year 9 involved in storytelling sessions 26 For me, there have been some very special moments. Like when we finished our class read and one boy stood up very enthusiastically and exclaimed: “I really enjoyed that book!” and asked to borrow it to read again on his own. Or when, so completely engrossed in the story, a girl cried out loud: “Oh no!” at a moment of high drama. And when a young boy from Preparatory, who was not a keen reader, said thoughtfully and quietly: “I am not sure that the policeman is a real policeman”, showing a real understanding of the nuances of the book. That boy’s class had been less than enthusiastic about my choice of story but ended up quite literally on the edge of their seats, crying out for more as we left our week’s reading on a cliffhanger. Creating an inviting library is revolutionising reading at the School. What more could we ask of our new facility? Jackie Medhurst, Librarian
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