The HASU Library and Celebrating Literacy

 

Our beautiful Library takes centre stage in the heart of the Academy, open to all students throughout the day as a space to read, work, access IT, browse and borrow books and engage with our fabulous Librarian Ms Lock. Our Lord Harris Reading Room provides a comfortable, tranquil space for students who wish to focus on their reading.

At Key Stage 3, regular Library Lessons ensure that all students are inducted into and feel comfortable within the Library. These sessions are run jointly between the English team and our Librarian.

The Library is stocked with an array of fiction and non-fiction, with regularly changing themed displays and recommendations.

More information about the HASU Library can be found on its own page here. 

The HASU Library X account can be found here. 

Our Librarian, Ms Lock, is excited to support all of our students in their reading!   

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Celebrations of Reading, Writing and Speaking

Literacy remains high on the agenda throughout the Academic year, promoted through whole-school celebration of calendar events including:

• World Book Day
• Performing Arts Week
• World Theatre Day

Other calendar events such as Black History Month and Holocaust Memorial Day are accompanied by reading challenges.

Alongside these ‘marquee’ events, termly reading competitions and initiatives are run by the Library team to encourage and celebrate reading. Recent examples have included our ‘Extremely Cosy Readers’ photo competition and ‘Cover re-creation’ challenge. Winning entries can be seen throughout the Library and beyond. 

Our team of Literacy Champions are central to keeping reading for pleasure at the heart of everyday life in the Academy. Pupils apply and are appointed as Literacy Champions, with each year group playing a part in promoting our reading culture through promoting challenges and competitions as well as supporting with the everyday organization and running of the Library. Roles include:

• Year 7 Librarians
• Year 8 Reading Ambassadors
• Year 9 Reading Mentors
• Year 10 Reading Leaders

On DEAR days during tutor time, Reading Mentors and Reading Leaders in Year 9 and 10 spend time in the Library reading with pupils lower down the school for Paired Reading sessions. These Literacy Champions are trained in ‘Before, During, After’ reading strategies and work as reading role models for the pupils they are paired with in Year 7 and Year 8.