Librarian
E-mail: Mrs A.F. FentonDiploma, Foundation Certificate
Mrs Alison Fenton is our full-time Librarian. She is a member of CILIP, the UK’s library and information association, the School Library Association and LIPSSEE, a support group for Prep School librarians in the South East.
The Library, open all day and every day, is situated at the heart of the school and reading for pleasure is paramount. The wide and prolific range of resources includes books, newspapers, magazines, audio books, DVDs and graphic novels. Pupils attend lessons in the Library as part of the English curriculum and with other subject teachers in liaison with Mrs Fenton, who also provides books for particular topics by request from the teaching staff. Pupils are able to frequent the Library in any free time.
He that loves reading has everything within his reach. He has but to desire and he may possess himself of every species of wisdom to judge and power to perform
William Godwin 1756-1836
Mrs Fenton is ably assisted at break times by Year 8 Library Prefects in their leadership roles. She works closely with Heads of Departments to support and enhance the quality of curriculum education for both students and staff by providing appropriate and up-to-date resource material. Students also have access to a Reference Section and 10 computers in a separate, supervised room.
At the heart of all library activities is the desire to create a passion for reading. A highlight of the library year is celebrating World Book Day when the whole day is spent in activities, competitions and quizzes related to children’s literature, a visit by an author or poet and includes dressing up as book characters. Mrs Fenton runs an Awesome Book Awards book club throughout the year to support our book award for Middle Grade students www.awesomebookawards.com and a Carnegie Medal Shadowing book club for Years 7 and 8 in the Summer term.
The Awesome Book Awards is an annual award launched by Cranleigh Prep School in 2016, which honours the best new fiction authors for young readers aged between 7 and 10. There are currently over 60 other schools shadowing the award, and pupils from across the schools are invited to an Awards Ceremony in the Spring to meet the shortlisted authors and hear the announcement of the winner.
Other important dates in the literary calendar and book-related incentives and competitions are also included in the school year. Book Fairs are run after school for a week twice a year and help to provide extra books for the library.
All pupils take part in the Accelerated Reader scheme and pupils are awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold badges and certificates according to the number of words read throughout the school year. A Summer Reading Challenge is also run to encourage the pupils to maintain their reading progress throughout the long Summer break.
Each year the School appoints a Patron of Reading, who visits the school each term and works with the pupils to enhance their reading and support their writing skills.