The Library

Our School library, was awarded ‘Champion School’ status in 2016 for development of reading for pleasure. The library is the heart of Neston’s reading community and contributes hugely in a whole school ethos of promoting ‘Reading for All’.  The library provides a multitude of resources to support study and reading for enjoyment.

To further our community’s passion for reading, our librarian organises whole school literacy events and initiatives and the Library Council, a group of students dedicated to improving the library, keep the student voice strong by promoting literacy to their peers.

The Library, in conjunction with the English Department, runs ‘Accelerated Reader’, an exciting programme used by our year 7, 8 and 9 students, available in the library and online. It gives keen readers a chance to collect points for each book they read. Students are encouraged to take part in this programme through the Silent  Reading in tutor  times,  at home and when appropriate, in English Lessons. As part of their English entitlement,  students are expected to read at home and access the program on a weekly basis.

Accelerated Reader has been so successful in our school that the librarian also runs the Reading Millionaires scheme. This acknowledges those students who each year read millions of words that are tracked by the scheme. The group attend reading conferences to discuss the secrets to their success and pass on their reading experience to students starting their own reading journeys.

Each year, the ‘Accelerated Reader’ programme and the Library Council select our Big School Read; one book that will define a year of exploration and study across subjects within our school. Students listen to extracts of this book in registration in the morning and explore themes and ideas presented in the book in a range of lessons throughout the year. This work is then showcased at the end of the year to celebrate the learning that has emerged from the Big School Read.

Neston High School’s Patron of Reading is local author Jon Mayhew who runs creative workshops and events in school every term. Mr Mayhew’s titles include: Mortlock, The Demon Collector, The Monster Odyssey Series, Death Road and the Bonehill Curse.

We also run a well attended Film Club as part of our eXL programme held every Wednesday from 3 - 4pm. Students are invited to watch films and write reviews for ‘Intofilm’ with prizes and visits to film sets offered as rewards.

Each year the library council hold ‘The Big Book Swap’ to allow students to swap  their books from home and take home new titles. Also the library run an annual book quiz with vouchers to our visiting book fair from which students can purchase latest titles.