The senior library is situated at the heart of the school, on the middle floor of the lestonnac resource centre. The library is open all day from 8.40 – 4.30 p.M.
The Library offers a quiet place for effective study and research and holds over 14,000 items, which includes fiction and non-fiction books, periodicals, audio books and DVDs. There are 10 computers in the Library with internet access to the various school digital sites including BBC Bitesize and MyMaths. We are delighted to have recently acquired First News iHub – an on-line digital tool, which seeks to engage students in news and current affairs through comprehensions, puzzles and debates.
Library Lessons
All students in Years 7, 8 and 9 have fortnightly reading lessons as part of their English curriculum and they follow a Reading Passport Scheme. The scheme encourages students to read books of different genres, including classic literature. They ‘travel through their passport’ by writing book reviews and a Notre Dame Book Award is given once the passport is complete.
Once a term, students in Years 8 and 9 have interactive media sessions, which look at tabloid and broadsheet comparisons, Fake News and article bias.
Holiday Reading
In the Senior Library, we foster a love of reading for pleasure and provide a wide range of fiction. New titles are acquired on a regular basis, to include prize-winning fiction and students can recommend new books for the Library.
During each main holiday, students are set challenging reading featuring modern and traditional classics. Holiday reading helps to improve English language skills and benefits the whole curriculum. Students can choose between one of three titles agreed with the English Department and selected from a recommended reading list.
Library Projects
During the Summer Term, KS3 students complete a Library project, which will complement their English syllabus work. Year 7 produce a Poetry Project, Year 8 investigate the Gothic genre and Year 9 research the Victorian or Romantic Era. Prizes are awarded for the most impressive projects in each Library Class.
