Celebrating National School Library Month

October is National School Library Month, and we can’t think of a better time to celebrate our two brilliant librarians and huge variety of books. At Stamford, our expansive library houses over 30,000 books, spanning a huge range of abilities, genres and lengths, to suit every student from Year 7 to Year 13.  

Our dyslexia friendly section contains a diverse array of books that use a rounder font, cream-coloured pages, and slightly larger spaces to make reading more suited to those with dyslexia. This collection ranges from short stories to altered versions of classics such as The Diary of Anne Frank. Mr Ellis, librarian, is currently reading dyslexia friendly D-Day Dog by Tom Palmer. He engages with a large range of books in order to provide genuine, well-informed recommendations to all students.  

Mr Ellis believes that his role as a librarian is to provide a tailored fit for all. He takes students on a journey through Year 7 and Year 8 with the aim to increase their capacity and interest, whilst widening the variety of books they choose to read. He does this through the reading passport scheme, where students are given a booklet with the aim to branch out and read a variety of books, filling in each genre in their passport as they progress through. He understands the importance of promoting current books while retaining the proven classics. As a school, we also participate in BookBuzz, a reading programme where every Year 7 gets the opportunity to choose their own book to take home and keep, for free.  

Miss Stewart, librarian, runs the Reading Buddy scheme. In the Autumn term of Year 7, reluctant readers are paired up with a Year 12 reading buddy. They have weekly meetings where the Year 7 will read to the Year 12. By the summer term, Miss Stewart notices a huge development in many of these Year 7s; previously unconfident students are reading out loud in class and are often engaging with reading in their own time.  

At Stamford, we understand the importance of reading both academically and emotionally. Miss Stewart believes that finding enjoyment in reading at a young age will carry you forward through life. Reading is the basis of everything; it opens conversation with peers and improves vocabulary which helps with all academic subjects. Mr Ellis believes that on top of building stamina in preparation for the exam system, reading teaches us about the world and ourselves. It helps us to empathise with others and expands our minds. 

Whilst we encourage every student to read, we acknowledge the common overwhelming feeling that there’s simply not enough time in the day. Miss Stewart believes that “reading should never be a chore. It’s a form of escapism, something to latch onto in times of stress.” 

Here at Stamford, our libraries are a safe space for all. There is no such thing as a stupid question in our libraries and our librarians work intently to provide personalised guidance for each and every student.