Mixed intake community schoolOver 400 pupils aged from 3 to 11 yearsPupils from a diverse range of ethnic backgroundsAbove-average number of pupils who have learning difficulties
The school values reading as an essential element of the curriculum and Matt was keen to provide a high-quality and ‘fit-for-purpose’, dedicated library resource for his students.
The school library was in a run-down mobile classroom used more as an additional teaching area than a library. The school operated a lending library but membership was limited and the room itself was hidden away and uninspiring. Books in the classrooms were stored in old racks and kinderboxes. The school knew that displaying books in such a tired and uninspiring way was sending the wrong message to its children about the way it valued reading.
Funds became available following a recent surge in pupil numbers and renovations and reorganisation meant an existing classroom became available to use as a library.
Head Teacher, Matt Hanks, asked Opening the Book:
Working with the Head, the BookSpace team identified the number of books needed in the library and the classrooms before looking at the split between fiction, non-fiction and picturebooks (the school’s nursery children would also be using the library so provision needed to be made for younger pupils too).
BookSpace 1210 was chosen as this height accommodates 3 or 4 shelves and is the right height for children aged 5-11 years. The classroom had a number of windows, so this height was perfect as it could be positioned below the windows to ensure no light was blocked out.
Instead of designing the new space with shelving around the perimeter, we used the shelving to create snug little spaces for reading and avoid the problems of radiators and doorways.
As well as fiction and non-fiction shelves, the shelving was interspersed with a Playboard, a Displayboard and a Table Shelf. This meant pupils could use the space to interact with the books and display reviews and work relating to books.
A combination of blue and green shelving was used to tone with existing tiles and walls. Blue shelving was used to create a fiction area inside the archway and green shelving was used for non-fiction.
As a final touch a Picturebook Tunnel and a Reading Den were added to the space to provide further play elements. The Picturebook Tunnel is lined with mirror and the Reading Den provides an additional cosy space for pupils to curl up with their books.