Welcome to the library at Southchurch High School.
Southchurch High School’s popular library is run by our school librarians who are dedicated to promoting a love of reading to our students! The library is equipped with a fantastic collection of fiction and non-fiction books to suit all abilities and interests. The library welcomes students from all year groups to borrow books, use the computers for homework, play chess (and other board games!) and read at their leisure in our comfy designated reading areas! The library also houses a dedicated selection of books suitable for older readers, as well as holding revision texts needed for GCSE.
We encourage students to read The Day – a news site that publishes articles aimed at year 7-13. It’s a great habit to read at least one article a day, so do take a look at the link at the top of the page. Our school librarians also send articles each week to form tutors and students are invited to discuss their opinions and vote in polls relevant to the articles.
Students sit termly reading tests and these are an excellent way to monitor their progress. The librarians run reading interventions that are designed as a supportive measure to assist in accessing the curriculum and give students a chance to reach their full potential. Students identified for reading intervention usually attend the library for one hour per week, either one-one or in small groups. The group chooses a novel together and take it in turns to read aloud. Students are then encouraged to discuss their thoughts, opinions and predictions for the novel, with time taken to check for comprehension. The session also includes time spent on our Readingwise programme, which can also be accessed at home. Our aim is to enhance reading as a skill as well as for pleasure.
Southchurch High School has student librarians that help out with collecting books, tidying and being ambassadors for reading. If you would like to become a student librarian, then you will find the application form through the link at the top of the page – or come and ask for a copy of the form in the library.
We want our students to use our libraries to their fullest! We run competitions to encourage reading participation year-round. Students have access to Accelerated Reader which allows you to take quizzes and record how many words you have read. There are prizes on offer for all students that progress through the certification levels and you also earn points and prizes for your house team. The goal is to achieve word millionaire status! You will find the link to Accelerated Reader above. Please check our weekly newsletter for details of competitions and events, as well as more library news!
Above you will find a link to an audio recording of ‘The Unforgotten Coat’ by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, the Children’s laureate 2024, read by some of our students. There is also a link to our eBook Platform, where students can browse and borrow from hundreds of books on their smart devices. Students will be provided with their logins in the new term.
We look forward to seeing you in the library – open before & after school and at break & lunch!
Read the KS3 and 4 Newsletter HERE
