The Compass Library

Opening times

Our Library is open throughout the school day (8.30am to 3.10pm), including tutor time, breaktimes and lunchtimes, for quiet reading and study. There are computers available for homework.

Triple ‘R’ club, taking place in the Library between 15.15 and 16.45pm Monday to Thursday, is an opportunity for students in Year 11, 12 and 13 to Review, Reflect and Revise. Students have access to a wide range of resources and on occasions will be able to meet with staff. The session is led by a member of the Extended Leadership Team, so help is always on hand.

Support

The Library is staffed by a qualified Librarian, Mrs Griffiths, who is available to help students with their reading choices and research skills. Recommended reading lists are produced regularly and various book awards are promoted throughout the school year.

Library inductions are provided at the beginning of each school year and teaching staff are supported throughout the year in developing students’ research skills and independent learning.

Resources

Our Library contains a very well stocked and maintained collection of over 9000 resources, including a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books, reference and careers materials.

We also have access to The Day (under The Compass links), a daily news service for use in schools/colleges and homes, where the most important news of the day, the ‘big issues’ are presented in clear and easily accessible format, containing suitable and relevant topics to stimulate discussion and engage students. News analysis and features are written to raise awareness and understanding of the big issues.

Borrowing Resources

Students normally have two books out at any one time for a period of two weeks, but more books can be issued if required for projects and homework. The return date is always stamped in the front of the book. Books needed for a longer period, need to be brought in and reissued for another two weeks period.

All books taken out of the Library must be issued in student’s name by the Librarian and all book returns need to be handed to the Librarian, NOT put back on the shelf by students.

Automated email reminders are sent directly to students’ emails about overdue library books. Lists of all overdue library books are also emailed to tutors weekly, to remind their tutees during tutor time. Parents/guardians will also be notified if books are over 4 weeks late.

Any lost books must be either replaced or paid for – speak to the Librarian about this.

Our school library catalogue, Accessit, is available for students to access online (under The Compass links). Students are able to keep track of their current and past loans, reserve books and write reviews for books they have read.

Facilities

The main Library floor area is regularly used for KS3 library lessons, with the timetable displayed on the Library door. This area is also used for KS3 & KS4 break times. We have 12 computers available in this area.

There are 5 tables with computers available on the ‘top level’ of the Library and we also have a small computer room, Thought Port, at the back of the Library, which has 12 computers – these are mainly used for our Post 16 students for silent study and research.

The Library is a QUIET place to read or work and NO food or drink (apart from water) is permitted. No mobile phones are allowed and outdoor coats must be taken off.

A wide variety of activities are on offer throughout the year, including competitions, games, quizzes and opportunities to purchase books at great discounts.

Scholastic Teen Book Club & Scholastic Book Fair

We run the Scholastic Teen Book Club throughout the year, which gives students and parents a change to buy books at very competitive prices and promotes the reading for pleasure. Each leaflet features an exciting selection of latest books for all tastes and abilities of secondary school students, so there’s something to suit everyone. Every book is discounted with prices starting from just £1.99 so you can make great savings and help to support our school. For every £1 spent the School Library will receive 25p in Scholastic Rewards, to use for books for the School Library.
There’s never any obligation to order but if you’d like to buy anything there’s an easy way for you to order. Whenever Scholastic leaflets are sent home or emailed to you, we set up an online school group order so that you can visit https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/schools/the-bosworth, add books to our basket and benefit from FREE P+P to the school. You’ll be able to pay securely online by credit or debit card and the books will arrive in school and be distributed to students.

We also run Scholastic Book Fair, usually in the run up to Christmas, to enable students to purchase exciting new books, at reduced prices.

Access for Post 16 Sixth Form students

During tutor time, breaktime & lunchtime, it is the same as for every other year group.

At certain times, there will be timetabled lessons taking place in the Library. A timetable will be posted on the Library door, to let everyone know, which lessons are booked out fortnightly. As a general rule, Post 16 students will be able to use the Thought Port during these lessons – the Librarian will alert students, if that is not the case. A sign, on the left side of the Library door, will be turned to ‘Closed’, to also alert students that a lesson is taking place.

When there is no lesson taking place in the Library, Post 16 students are free to select which area they wish to work in.

KS3 Library Lessons and Reading

We use the Accelerated Reader programme to monitor our students’ reading in Key Stage Three at Bosworth Academy.

You will do a Star Reading test, online multiple choice reading test, four times in a school year. This will tell us what approximate reading age you have and what reading level AR books you should be reading to make the most progress and improve your reading. Books within The Compass Library are marked with coloured dots/stars on the bottom of the spine to show what AR level they are.

The individual AR levels and their corresponding labels can be found here.

For more information on AR access www.renlearn.co.uk/parent-resources/.

Contact

Any questions, about any aspect of the Library, can be sent to Mrs Griffiths, hgriffiths@bosworthacademy.org.uk