Pupils at Derby’s most historic school are immersing themselves in the lives of fictional characters and learning about other cultures around the world thanks to the creation of a brand-new library.
Staff at Royal School of the Deaf Derby, in Ashbourne Road, have created the new space, which has cost £15,000, to encourage pupils to develop a love of reading books.
The school’s new library
The Parent Staff Association raised £3,000 for the library and a talk given by head teacher Helen Shepherd at a networking event for the railway industry raised an additional £4,000.
The rest of the cost was raised by donations, fundraising events and by the school’s British Sign Language choir following its performance at the Derbion.
Mrs Shepherd said: “We didn’t really have a designated library area before now, just some shelving with books on them. But now we have comfortable seating and soft furnishings which are ideal for curling up with a good book.
Head teacher Helen Shepherd
“We know that the accessibility and availability of books is a key component in creating a reading culture in young people’s lives. We have a wide array of books, suitable for boys or girls, covering a huge range of topics, to ensure that there is something for everyone.
“In an age where small book retailers are disappearing and children are more dependent on phones and devices than ever before, we are determined to nurture a reading culture within school.”
Reading books can be difficult for some children whose first language is British Sign Language rather than English.
But reading books is an important way for all children to learn new words, develop fluency in handwriting and to develop imaginations and an understanding of the world around them.
“It is incredibly important that our children are exposed to literature, storytelling and diverse language and the creation of a library which is a much more inviting environment supports this,” Helen added.
“Many of the staff here, like myself, are passionate readers and it is thoroughly rewarding when we see any of our pupils switched on, engaged and excited about what will happen when they turn the page.”
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