Our library is at the heart of our school. With over 20,000 up-to-date resources, including the many brand-new fiction and non-fiction books we buy every year, our library is always a busy and vibrant place. Open all day, to all students, it’s a haven of quiet in a bustling and busy school. Each year we have a variative ‘army’ of wonderful student librarians who assist our qualified librarian every day. Helping at break and lunch and always there at any special event. Working closely with Waterstones Bookshop in Brighton, we are very lucky to be able to offer lots of interesting author visits to our students every year.
Perdi is one of the most valued members of staff at our school. Our miniature labradoodle library dog is here every day to be an extra furry friend for our students. Listening to students read, helping calm nerves and bringing comfort, Perdi works hard every day to help some of our most vulnerable students.
We are one of the founding schools of The Amazing Book Awards. A young adult book award established in 2011. Every year the ABA team work with over 40 schools all along the south coast, to bring reading for pleasure into the centre of every school. A ‘student lead awards’ mean that our participating students/schools (3,500 students last year) choose the Long List, vote for the Shortlist and vote for the winners every year. There is panel or veto vote. Whomsoever the students pick as the winners win. Previous winners have included: Juno Dawson, Teri Terry, Dean Atta, and Holly Bourne. The ABAs also have an established presence on social media, and the shortlisted and finalist authors help us to “trend on twitter” several times a year. At the end of June every year, we host the ABA Awards Night, which is a chance for all of those students who have taken part this year to meet their finalist authors and get their books signed. If you want to know more about the ABAs just Google: @SussexABA.
The ethos of our library is to activate, engage, and stimulate all young minds. Reading for pleasure is of such vital importance it is at the forefront of everything our library can offer. From our weekly Key Stage 3 reading lessons and termly author events, to special once a year events, like the ABAs, World Book Day and National Poetry Day.