The Library
WELCOME TO OUR LIBRARY
Welcome to the library. This is a space for pupils to gather quietly, read, play chess and complete homework.
- We have a fantastic selection of books, including many critically acclaimed and prize-winning novels.
- The librarian, Ms McCarthy, is eager to match the right book for each pupil, and is a keen supporter of the right to read for pleasure.
- All pupils are members of the library and can borrow books for a period of 10 days.
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Our library was opened by Newport-born poet Connor Allen, former children’s Laureate of Wales. The library has been named the Connor Allen Library in his honour. |
| 2026: THE NATIONAL YEAR OF READING | |
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Reading for PleasureThe National Literacy Trust calls it 'Volitional Reading': something you choose to do on purpose and with deliberate intent.Or if you prefer, Reading for Pleasure.Please encourage your child to read for pleasure at home. |
Here are some ways to create a new habit.
Place the tools (BOOKS!) you need directly in your eyeline. Next to a bed is good. Start with the 10-minute rule. You will often read more once you start. Use visual reminders like a note or an alarm. Practice habit stacking by attaching the new behaviour to an established daily action. Follow a two-day rule and never miss your habit twice in a row. Track your streak by marking a calendar or using an app. Pick a book you will really enjoy. Head-Teacher's Recommendation Librarian's Recommendation(The librarian loves this one too.)
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To celebrate and shadow the Tir na nOg Book Awards, the oldest awards for children’s literature in Wales, pupils can join the reading challenge above to kick start their reading for the next academic year.library news
THE VERSE NOVEL CHALLENGE.
Congratulations WE WON!
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Huge congratulations to Y7 and 8 Pupils who took part in the Verse Novel Challenge. This was a challenge created by the National Literacy Trust to encourage children to read Verse Novels. Our book group pupils recorded a stirring reading from The Crossing by Manjeet Mann just before the Christmas holiday, and in February they received the excellent news that they had won a £500 Amazon voucher to be spent on books for the library. The group has been busy asking as many pupils as they can, across all year groups, which books they would like to order. The top category was MANGA! Books will start to arrive this month.
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How to encourage reading...
Reading for 20 minutes a day has many benefits for children and young adults, including reducing stress, improving educational outcomes in Maths and English, and helping develop empathy.
It doesn’t matter if it is comics, novels, non-fiction, menus or instruction manuals … this is ALL reading. Reading from a screen, listening to an audiobook and being read to, all have huge benefits for children. If you read with your children, ask them if they understand what the words mean, teach them how to look up words in a dictionary and put new words into context by putting them into a sentence. All of these little things will help with understand what is being read.
There are several places you can gain access to books, aside from visiting your own local library.
- If you are a member of your local library, BorrowBox is a free service offering e-books and AudioBooks which can be read or listened to on phones, tablets or other devices.
- If you would like to read the first chapters of a book, sign up to the LoveReading4Kids website where many of the books have downloadable extracts.
- If you like to read reviews, try the Booktrust website, where you can search for books by age, genre or theme.