Library

SUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2023!

summer reading challenge 2023.pdf

 

Academy Library Staff

Miss Caroline Wheelhouse – Academy Librarian

Available between 10am and 2pm for all library services.

The Academy Library is available to PACA students and staff for:

• Browsing and borrowing books
• Returning or renewing books
• Accessing the Academy computers and network
• Reading

Year 7, 8 and 9 students have a library session with their English teacher once every fortnight, where they have time to browse the books the library has on offer, read quietly, and write a review about books they have finished. 

Every student also has the opportunity to use the library during break time or lunch time, where they can browse at leisure, return or renew their current library books or do their homework. 

All of our students are automatically given a Reading Cloud membership account, and this can also be accessed at home for students to reserve titles from the library catalogue through our Click & Collect service.

Most books in the library are available to borrow for up to 3 weeks.  Students will be given three polite reminders via their Tutor to return any overdue books.  If books are not returned after the third reminder, a letter will be sent to parents/carers, and lost or badly damaged books will be need to be replaced.  Miss Wheelhouse will decide if a student account needs to be frozen until the fine or new book is provided.

Homework Club is available to students one afternoon a week, to make use of the peaceful library environment, the computers and the non-fiction texts. 

This term, Homework Club will be every Tuesday afternoon from 3pm till 4pm.

  

Behaviour in the library

All students are welcome on the understanding that the library is a quiet area where sensible and considerate behaviour is expected at all times. Lesson behaviour policies regarding eating and drinking and the use of mobile phones and other personal audio items are followed at all times. 

Summer Reading Challenge 2022!

20 students took part in this year's Summer Reading Challenge, submitting reader reviews for each book they finished during the holidays.  Every student was rewarded a prize, including a sweet treat bag for 5-6 reviews and a book prize for 7+ reviews!  Well done to everyone who participated, some excellent reading efforts and thoughtful book reviews written.

Summer Reading Challenge 2022

National Poetry Day - Haiku Competition!

This year's National Poetry Day theme was the environment, and the students were challenged to write their own poems in the form of Haikus.   Seven brilliant Haikus were submitted from students in Years 7, 8 and 9, and are below for you to enjoy!  Well done to everyone who took part; copies of Greta Thunberg's 'No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference' were awarded to our prize winners. 

Haiku Competition

 

 Harper the Literacy Dog!

Harper is nearly one year old and has spent her first 12 months growing up at PACA, surrounded by her human friends!  She is maturing fast and has passed her basic training with The Dog's Trust.  Harper will be beginning the next important steps of training to become a Literacy Dog this term, and spending some time in the School Library with our KS3 classes.  Keep checking back here for further pupdates!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Harper Reading Training

 

World Kindness Day competition!

The World Kindness Day competition came with all the feels, as students from all year groups nominated friends who they felt were most deserving of the kindness accolade. 

All students were given a copy of Mr Potter's latest publication 'My People'.

World Kindness Day 2023

 

 Paired Reading with Mile Oak Primary School!

We welcomed Walnut Class and Elder Class to PACA School Library this term, pairing the Year 5s with Year 10 PACA students for a library tour and shared reading opportunities.  The two visits were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone involved, and all the pupils, both young and not-as-young, were brilliant!

We look forward to more visits from Mile Oak Primary in the new year.

Year 5 Mile Oak Library Visits

 

 Christmas Book Sale!

 The Christmas Book Sale was as popular as ever, raising £68 which was donated to theBookTrust Christmas Appeal.

 

Author Visit!

We were delighted to welcome talented local author Lisa Heathfield to the School Library at the end of January, whose YA books are exceptional and very popular at PACA!  Lisa talked to the students about her writing process and the inspiration for each of her books.  Everyone got to know her better through a Q&A and book signing session, and a great morning was had by all involved!

 

Lisa Heathfield Author Visit

 

National Storytelling Week 2023!

To mark National Storytelling Week (30th January - 5th February), the PACA students were challenged to get involved in a short story writing competition, the only stipulation being that the setting had to be a library!  17 students from across all year groups got involved, and there was a huge variety of genres and creative narrative structures used.  Well done to Alice (Y7), Keira (Y8), Rio (Y9), Lucy-Mae (Y9) and George (Y10), whose entries were all deemed worthy winners by our judges.

 

Storywriting Competition 2023

 

 PAVILION PRE-SCHOOL VISIT!

A group of Year 9 students visited our local pre-school with Miss Wheelhouse, during the week of World Book Day, to celebrate books and reading with the little ones.  Everyone had a brilliant time, sharing stories together and making friends!  It is a trip the PACA students always get a lot of enjoyment from. 

Linda Dale, Pavilion Pre-school Supervisor, said of the Year 9s: "A big thank you to the wonderful Year 9 students that came to visit the nursery today.  The children at Pavilion loved having them here and are still excitedly talking about their morning.  They really enjoyed the stories they had read to them by the students.  The students are a credit to the Academy."

Pavilion Pre-School 2023

 

 WORLD BOOK DAY 2023!

In the School Library, we like to celebrate World Book Day for as long as possible, so along with our visit to Pavilion Pre-school and dressing up as our favourite book characters, we also ran the Mystery Reader Competition, and Year 9 Wren kindly ran an Origami Book Corner activity at lunchtimes.  Well done to all our prize winners!

           

 

Mile Oak Primary School Year 4 Visits!

This term we have had visits from Rowan Class,  Ash Class and Hazel Class.  The Year 4 pupils came to visit the PACA School Library and read to our brilliant Year 9 and Year 10 students. 

Mile Oak Primary Year 4 Paired Reading 2023

 

COMING SOON TO PACA LIBRARY!

Thanks to all students and staff who supported the Spring Book Sale!  We raised £60, which shall be used to replace old board games and invest in some new ones! 

Mile Oak Primary School Year 3 Visits!

We have had two visits during summer term from Mile Oak Primary, from Cherry Class and Beech Class.

Both Year 3 groups were exceptionally well behaved and had a lovely morning with PACA's superb Year 8 hosts.  Mrs May said: "The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience!"

Year 3 Mile Oak Primary