Larkhill Primary School – developing a love for reading

Larkhill Primary School received £40,000 in December 2022 under the Education Support Fund to refurbish their existing library to make it more appealing to pupils. The aim was to help pupils develop a habit of reading for pleasure and be inspired to read because they want to, developing a love for reading.

Reading for pleasure and for education

The school were aware that many of their pupils had very few, if any, books at home and engagement with reading had been an ongoing struggle. By building a library resourced with high quality texts, the school was able to ensure that each pupil can take home a reading for pleasure book and also a high-quality reading book linked directly to their age and reading level. By investing in accelerated reader, the school ensured that each of the books in the library were appropriately coded so pupils could easily select the correct level of book. With the installation of a junior librarian programme, teachers could also sign out texts to pupils and keep a running record of who is borrowing which text.

The library is used for a weekly book club, attended by up to 20 pupils, providing an opportunity for the children to share and discuss their favourite reads. The school also intend to use the space throughout the year to host author visits and workshops to promote a love of literature. In addition, the library is open at playtimes and lunchtimes to provide a quiet space where pupils who wish to can enjoy a book alone or with friends.

Creating positive impact

The project has had a direct impact on all pupils at the school and the adults who work there. Indirectly, it has also benefited the families of pupils who now have high quality texts to share with their children. Through the project, the school have also learnt that parents engage best when they can learn alongside their children, inviting them to reading events at the library alongside their children works much better than the parent workshops that they used to run that were information sharing and did not involve pupils.

The new library has been a tremendous addition to Larkhill Primary School and is one of the first things that children talk about when asked what they like best at school. One pupil said: “I only used to have a few books to choose from in the classroom and now I have hundreds and hundreds”. Another pupil said: “All of the books in the old Library were old and I could never find one I liked, now I find it hard to choose one as there are so many”.

Prior to the opening of the library, about half of the pupils in each class were not reading at home each week. Now, no more than 5 pupils in each class are not reading at home.

The accelerated reader system has ensured that pupils have access to a text at the appropriate age and stage. On completion of texts, pupils are provided with an online quiz with a large percentage of pupils in each class (over 50%) accessing quizzes on a weekly basis.

The library also provides a welcome sanctuary for pupils who prefer the calm environment it provides to the hustle and bustle of the playground. For some pupils who are easily overwhelmed this has been a hugely beneficial tool in enabling them to self-regulate.