Parent and teacher zone  

The School Library Service

Schools and the public library  

The curriculum

Reading with young children

Bookstart


The School Library Service 

The School Library Service provides a service to schools and teachers, both by lending books, and by providing professional advice. Each school that buys into the service can borrow a large number of books on long-term loan, and teachers can additionally borrow termly "project collections" of books specifically targeted to the subjects they are teaching. The School Library Service mobile library visits each school once a term, and teachers are also able to visit the SLS base at Thompson House to make their own selection. We are also able to purchase new books for schools at a considerable discount, which schools can use build up their own libraries.

In addition, many schools use the SLS for advice on how to develop libraries within the school, as well as for story-telling and Book Weeks.

The School Library Service will have its own website shortly.

Schools and the public library  

Of course, we are also happy to see other years in the library, from reception classes coming in for a story, to Middle School and beyond. We are also happy to bring the sessions to your school, if you have transport problems and find it hard to get to the library.

To arrange a visit, email us , or phone us on 525731
Our aim is always to provide the best service that we can to the people who use our libraries, and will always do everything we can to help children find the information they need, even if all the books are out. However, it always helps us immensely if we have advance warning of what projects to expect. This allows us to put books on short-term loan, if necessary, or even to make them reference-only for a short time, allowing the resources to be shared as fairly as possible.

The curriculum  

If you are a teacher and want information on the QCA schemes of work, and how to resource them, Eduwight is the place to go. In the section called "Curriculum", there are outlines of all the units, along with helpful websites that relate to that subject, and suggested books, that can be ordered through the School Library Service.

The Schemes themselves can be downloaded from the DFEE Standards Site .
Parents might also find the above sites useful if they want more information on what their child is studying at school, and the thinking behind it.


Reading with young children  


"But my child's too young for books"
  

A child is never too young! Long before children can read, they are learning about the world they live in. Here are some ways you can help introduce very young children to the idea that books can be fun.

Helping the beginner reader  
How the library can help  

Bookstart  

The Isle of Wight is part of the national Bookstart scheme, by which every child is given a free board book when they are nine months old. They also get an invitation to join the library. When they join, they get another free book.

Many parents think that babies are too young to enjoy books, but studies have shown precisely the opposite. Babies who are encouraged to enjoy books from an early age have been shown to be significantly ahead in both literacy and numeracy when they start school. Even though they can't understand stories, they can enjoy looking at the pictures, they learn how to turn pages, and find out that books can be colourful and fun.

Of course, babies tend to damage things, and books are no exception. But we don't charge for damaged board books. We would far rather see the books have a short and happy life, than sit on the library shelves because parents are afraid to borrow them.

There is no age limit on a child joining the library. You can join your baby as soon as they're born, if you want to, and don't need to wait until you receive your Bookstart invitation. You will still get your free book.



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