“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.”– Albert Einstein

 

Ysgol Penglais Library – the heart of the school

Welcome to Ysgol Penglais School Library. We believe the library should be the heart and hub of the school. The library can be many different things to our students: a vital work area; a great research asset; a place of solace and relaxation; a warm and comfortable reading spot; a doorway to knowledge and discovery and a helpful tool for guidance and achievement.

Key Information

Library Opening Hours 

Monday: 8.15am – 4.30pm

Tuesday: 8.15am – 3.15pm

Wednesday: 8.15am – 4.15pm

Thursday: 8.15am – 3.15pm

Friday: 8.15am – 3.15pm

  • The library has approximately 30 computers for students to use and currently has a stock of nearly 11,000 books.
  • Homework club is an opportunity for students to complete homework and schoolwork using all of the resources available in the library together with any guidance needed from our librarian, Mrs Kennedy. Help can be given with master research techniques, revision planning and sourcing information both digitally and in hard copy.
  • The Library has dedicated quiet days on Wednesdays and Fridays to provide a calm and peaceful environment for reading and work.
  • Penglais Readers Book Club takes place on Tuesday lunchtimes. It involves all things bookish and activities which are literature linked. Activities include Bookspine Poetry, designing and making bookmarks and book ends, seasonal crafts, quizzes and interactive sessions. All students are welcome to attend and simply turn up on the day.

 

Library Provision in Penglais

  • The library is actively encouraging reading and book borrowing and the borrowing numbers over the last 5 years have increased by 80%
  • The school library is accessible to all students, with Year 7 being automatically enrolled when they join the school.
  • All students are able to borrow 2 books at a time, for a period of 2 weeks. Books can be renewed upon request.
  • The Library stocks a range of Young Adult books which are aimed at Year 9 and above. Students who are younger can borrow these titles if they have a permission slip provided by a parent or guardian.
  • The Librarian has worked with the English department to develop our Reading Mountains for use in Library Lessons with Years 7 and 8.

      Our Penglais reading curriculum is really important. Reading and appreciating different texts unlocks so many different avenues and can build student knowledge in every subject across the school.

      The reading mountains link to the text currently being studied in English lessons and show many different texts within this subject. The mountain allows every single student, whatever their reading ability, to access interesting fiction within the subject area.

      Our easier, more accessible reads are at the bottom of the mountain, and these get progressively more challenging with each level.

      The Reading Mountains have proved so successful with our students that they are being rolled out to other subject areas. Students like the ease of reference and assortment of recommended reading within the mountains.

    • Reading lists are now available for all year groups and can be obtained from the library or the English faculty. The librarian is ensuring that all the up to date fiction releases are available to our keen readers and monitors book recommendations and book awards. There is a large non-fiction selection to support the curriculum and learning.
    • Form time reading has been fully embedded in Key Stage 3 form time with students now reading at least one book per term. Students have been involved in the book selection process. We are continuing our development of the book provision with more book choices becoming available. Books include Gothic Tales, Wolf Brother, War Horse, Skellig, Animal Farm, I am Malala and Refugee Boy.
    • Reading Fluency Interventions are offered to students in Key Stage 3 and are led by our Librarian, Mrs Kennedy. The sessions are useful for students who need an extra boost with their reading or lack confidence reading aloud. Whilst reading a selected book the students work on accuracy, expression, prosody, confidence and comprehension. Student voice has shown that students enjoy the reading sessions and feel more comfortable and confident with their reading abilities. If you feel that your child may benefit from this then please feel free to email our Literacy Lead, Miss Harper on HarperK24@penglais.org.uk or our Librarian KennedyE31@penglais.org.uk

    Library Online Resource Centre

    Ysgol Penglais take investing in student resources, learning and knowledge seriously. This is why the Library uses Accessit to create and link to, engaging content and resources which connect seamlessly with our curriculum. Accessit is the face of our school Library online. Students will be able to access the Library catalogue, browse books and reserve books online.

    Personalised dashboards greet students upon logging in with an interface aimed specifically at their year group.

    Students can discover resources with an interactive and multimedia search tool. For example, when students are researching World War One or volcanoes the search tool will not only guide them to all the resources contained within the school Library, but to pre-determined and recommended websites chosen by teachers within the school. Accessit search tool will automatically provide all the results within one place, rather than students having to search numerous different websites. Precise, easy access to engaging and relevant digital content.

    For our Year 10 and 11 students, there is an abundance of resources, links and information targeted towards their exams and beyond. On their dashboard, they will find useful links, including to WJEC, Carlam Cymru, My Maths, Careers Wales and Coleg Ceredigion.

    Students can log on here to Accessit using their school HWB credentials.

    https://uk.accessit.online/png02/

    Celebrating Reading and Writing

    The Library celebrates events throughout the academic year including World Book Day, Harry Potter Book event, Halloween and Christmas.  There are intentions to carry out more events and suggestions from students include Star Wars Day, Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, Roald Dahl and Sherlock Holmes.

    The Library also actively encourages students to enter into writing, poetry or other suitable competitions. Some of our students entered the National Book Tokens design a book token competition and the Young Writers’ writing competitions this year.

    Students’ Involvement

    Students’ opinions are important to us and there is a suggestion box in the library to ensure that all students can have an input.  These suggestions have helped us to stock the library with books students want to read and develop quiet sessions to benefit students’ independent study time. Book requests, suggestions, and recommendations are always welcome from students

    The library is fully utilised by the students and will continue to offer any support which is required by the students in their learning and well-being.

    If you have any questions regarding the Library then please contact KennedyE31@penglais.org.uk

     

    Remember, “When in doubt go to the library.”– J.K. Rowling