School_Libraries_A_Plan_for_Improvement (1).pdf

8/10/2019 School_Libraries_A_Plan_for_Improvement (1).pdf

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School Libraries:A plan for improvement


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The Commission

Chair

Baroness Estelle Morris

CommissionersPeter Wanless, Chief Executive of the Big Lottery FundJean Gross, Government Communication ChampionCatherine Blanshard, Chief Officer of Libraries, Arts andHeritage for Leeds City CouncilKaren Tyerman, The Museums, Libraries and ArchivesCouncil board member, Director for Community Learning

Kensington and ChelseaMartin Cooper, Deputy Headteacher, Mile Oak PrimarySchool, BrightonStephen Shields, Chief Executive, SHINE Trust

AuthorsJonathan Douglas, Director, National Literacy TrustSue Wilkinson, Director of Policy & Sustainability,The Museums Libraries and Archives Council

ResearchersGeorge Dugdale, Policy Adviser, National Literacy TrustChris Fardon, Policy Adviser Learning and Skills, TheMuseums Libraries and Archives Council

Additional support to the Commissionprovided byKathryn SheardLynn BarrettThelonious ClarkeAnna Jones

School Libraries:

A plan for improvement


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Contents

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Executive Summary

Chapter 1Introduction

Chapter 2The Demand Side

Chapter 3The Supply Side

Chapter 4Improvement

Chapter 5New Delivery Mechanisms

Chapter 6Summary of Recommendations

ConclusionReading the Future

Appendix 1Summary of Evidence Gathered

Appendix 2Case Studies


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Executive SummaryAt a time when fewer than half of all 8 to 14-year-oldshave read a book in the last month, it is critical that allthe resources available to support pupil achievementare being targeted effectively and used efficiently. Theresearch for this report has demonstrated the powerfulrole a high performing school library and schoolslibrary service plays in raising pupils literacy levels andimproving their access to knowledge.

Young people who read above the expected level fortheir age are twice as likely as young people who readbelow their age to be school library users (77.7% asopposed to 35.9%).This link is not necessarily causal

but it does suggest that if school libraries do notperform to the highest level there will be significantimplications for pupil achievement. Cuts to schoolslibrary services will exacerbate this problem.

What this Commission has established is that inmany schools the school library is a wasted resource,poorly embedded in the infrastructure of the school:encouraging reading for pleasure but resistant toteaching literacy and phonics; absent from schooldevelopment plans, official guidance and inspectionframeworks; staffed (in one third of primary school

libraries) by people who have no specialist knowledgeof childrens literature.

School library services could be a highly efficient wayof ensuring that clusters of schools maximise theirvalue for money by having access to the resources,information and expertise they need to developchildrens reading and literacy, and offering access toknowledge. However outdated business and fundingmodels mean their focus is often on how to makeschools buy back rather than on rethinking provisionin response to the challenge of raising literacy levels.

In order to develop this report the National LiteracyTrust undertook a survey of 17,000 pupils; carried outa wide ranging programme of desk research; instituteda public consultation on the issues; carried out face toface interviews and focus groups with teachers andstudents.

As a result the report has a series of strongrecommendations directed to governors,headteachers, sector bodies and local authoritieswhich, if implemented, would improve literacy andattainment levels. All the recommendations aim tomake school libraries more focused on supporting the

educational objectives of the school by promotingliteracy and access to knowledge.


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Chapter 1Introduction

Despite the fact that literacy levels remain thepriority for the education sector fewer than halfof 8 to 14-year-olds have read a book in the lastmonth1and 31% of members of staff responsible forschool libraries in primary schools have no specialistknowledge of childrens literature2. The school libraryas the powerhouse of reading within the school seemsto be failing to play a full and active part in raisingliteracy levels and creating an innate love of reading.

Access to information is increasingly ubiquitous.

Technology promotes access to information forevery purpose and in every setting. In this digital ageinformation skills paired with literacy skills are vital. Therenegotiation of the role of the state and the movestowards a Big Society will increase the significanceof information skills, as it becomes more essentialfor people of all ages to be able to access and makesense of the information they need to help themselves.Information literacy defines levels of educationalsuccess and the ability to participate economicallyand socially in society. As the hub of information flowswithin the school, the school library needs to be a

central player in making pupils information literate.

School libraries would seem to have an indisputableplace in the work of the school, something recognisedby staff and pupils. When asked if there wassomewhere else that could perform the same role, one

young person replied: Theres nowhere. Somethingwhich sums up the majority of the responses.

However, evidence suggests that provision is patchy3:in the primary sector the concept of the school libraryas a vital element of teaching and learning is neither

widespread nor embedded in school planning; in thesecondary sector provision varies from the excellent tothe invisible. Schools library services local authorityagencies to improve school library provision are insharp decline.

School libraries are an underutilised resource, oftenperceived by headteachers to be a low priority. Whatshould be a vital ingredient of our schools system ismarginalised and seems not to be connected with theacknowledged educational priorities of literacy and

information skills supporting knowledge acquisition,which are their core business.

The School Library Commission was jointly establishedby the The Museums, Libraries and Archives Counciland the National Literacy Trust to examine why this is

the case. Expert presentations were commissioned toreview the evidence base for the impact on learningof school libraries and school library services as wellas the current and future policy landscape and currentlevels of provision. The Commission published an opencall for evidence (over 90 submissions were received- see appendix 1 for details of the responses) andconsultation workshops and interviews were heldwith teachers, school librarians, headteachers, pupils,parents and academics. To support the Commissionswork a survey was undertaken by the National LiteracyTrust of 17,000 pupils to examine school library useand attitudes4.

The evidence established a solid need for a well-runschool library and for the impact it could have whenrun well on pupils literacy levels; enjoyment of reading;information literacy skills and access to knowledge;on their self esteem, confidence, sense of safety andwellbeing in the school community. As a result whilstthis report demonstrates why schools should have aschool library or access to a school library service itfocuses more on how all these services could learnfrom the best and ensure that all young people haveaccess to the support they need to develop andsucceed.This report contains the Commissions analysis ofwhy school libraries fail to fulfil their potential in theeducation sector and what can be done to increasetheir contribution in the challenging times ahead. Asheadteachers and governors look to make savings thereport looks at how the school library and the schoollibrary service might work in different ways and in newpartnerships to deliver a more cost effective service.

The Commission believes that the resulting analysisand recommendations are robust and challenging.With Ted Hughes we recognise that:

Even the most misfitting child

Whos chanced upon the librarys worth,

Sits with the genius of the Earth

And turns the key to the whole world.5

1Clark and Douglas (forthcoming). Young Peoples Reading andWriting: An in-depth study focusing on enjoyment, behaviour,attitudes and attainment

2Rowan, T (2007), Library Books in Schools: Spending and provision inprimary and secondary schools in England, p17

3Creaser, Maynard and White (2006) LISU Annual Library Statistics2006: Featuring trend analysis of public and academic libraries 1995- 2005

4Clark, C. (2010) Linking School Libraries and Literacy: Young peoplesreading habits and attitudes to their school library

5Hughes, T. (1997), Hear it again


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Chapter 2The Demand Side: What do those who

use and fund the service want from it?How children and young people perceive the schoollibrary, what they use it for and their views on theway in which it could be improved have all beencritical to the Commissions debates and have playeda significant role in informing its recommendations.Equally important have been the views of teachers,headteachers and school governors.

This evidence gathered from all these sourcessuggests recognition of the role the school library

could and should be playing in the school but littlereal understanding amongst decision makers abouthow to use it to its best advantage or to develop it inthe future. Amongst pupils the research has identifiedsome surprising outcomes pointing to the need toinvolve young people more in the design and deliveryof the service and to the need for a new skills basefor librarians so they can better understand and meetpupils needs.

2.1Children and Young People

If it wasnt for the library, Iwouldnt be reading at all.

Any school-based activity must start by deliveringeffective learning outcomes for the child. Youngpeople interviewed for this report talked in detail aboutwhat they did in the library and how it supportedtheir learning and helped them to develop their skills.They strongly identified school libraries outcomesas motivating them to love and enjoy readingand supporting them in their desire to build theirknowledge base and to find information:

Its the best place to findgreat stories.

This was substantiated by National Literacy Trustresearch undertaken for the Commission whichestablished a very strong statistical relationshipbetween reading attainment and school library use.Young people who read above the expected level fortheir age were twice as likely as young people whoread below their age to be school library users (77.7%as opposed to 35.9%)6. Whilst the relationship is notnecessarily causal, it does confirm that school librarieshave a vital role to play in the reading patterns of thosepupils who have higher literacy levels7.

Evidence submitted contained examples of excellentpractice in planning libraries which responded to theneeds of young people. They can be characterised ascomfortable and welcoming environments, offering:more social reading opportunities (book clubs, peerrecommendations, drama and games based onreading); excellent book stocks which stimulated thereading of young people; more access to up-to-datetechnology; more targeted services aimed at meetingthe particular needs of particular groups8. By involving

young people in the design, management and deliveryof these services they feel an ownership of the schoollibrary and that it really did meet their needs.

For many young people reading is not necessarily

associated just with reading books. Whilst 32%of those interviewed had read a book in the pastfortnight, 64% had read a newspaper9. The researchshowed that children and young people haveincreasingly sophisticated information and literacyneeds, developed through complex social, cultural andtechnological interactions. A third of young people usesocial networking, 84.5% own a computer and 86%have mobile phones10. Moreover, these needs are notuniform across the age group. Children and youngpeople are as diverse as the communities which they

6Clark, C. (2010) Linking School Libraries and Literacy: Young peoples reading habits and attitudes to their school library7Ibid8Appendix 19Full transcripts of focus groups can be found at www.literacytrust.org.uk10Clark & Hawkins (2010), Young Peoples Reading: The importance of the home environment and family support


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come from and the families in which they are nurtured.Their consumption of media is related to their ethnicbackground, gender and social class11. Their experienceof literacy is influenced by their socioeconomicbackgrounds. Children on free school meals are lesslikely to own books and less likely to enjoy reading

(47.7% compared to 51.2%)12. All of this suggeststhat librarians need to understand the ethnic andsocioeconomic backgrounds of the pupils in the schooland to have developed services which can supporttheir different reading cultures and needs.

In the consultation young people talked a lot aboutwhat they wanted from a school library and from aschool librarian. Their comments present a less thanconventional job description for a school librarian:

Someone who leaves you alonewhen you want to be left alone.

Good with kidsI know teacherswho obviously dont like kids at all.

If I choose a book, I cant read

it but I like the ones [the schoollibrarian] tells me to read.

All of these comments reflect a belief that a schoollibrarian should be someone who is trained to workwith children and to understand their learningand emotional needs. At present the professionalframeworks for librarians do not require them todevelop knowledge of pedagogy, child developmentand child psychology. This is vital becauseunderstanding the differentiated needs of childrenis the key to designing services which can genuinely

meet their needs. The role of the school library asa safe place for children figured prominently in theevidence. This theme is not well documented inthe professional literature and not substantivelyresearched: however, it was presented by a largenumber of professionals as a key theme of provision.It was also highlighted in the focus group of childrenand young people as one of the most importantcharacteristics of the school library13.

A lot of the evidence from children and young peoplefocused on the library as a safe place, a place wherelibrary staff would send big gangs of Year 11 ladsoutof the library if they were too rowdy. If I didntfeelsafe, I wouldnt come. If you didnt have friendly staff,

you wouldnt feel safe.14

The evidence received by the Commission suggeststhat the school library has a significant role to playfor children who for a variety of needs find the schoolenvironment particularly unwelcoming. As a spacewhich is regulated by adults at times of the schoolday when spaces are largely peer regulated this isunderstandable. Given that in 2007 the UK camebottom in a UNICEF league table of child happiness15,this is a significant finding. However, if the schoollibrary is to take this role on responsibly then thereneeds to be consideration of how it is integrated intowhole school policies and library staff are supportedwith appropriate training. It is clearly inappropriate forthe library to be a default sanctuary.

The Commission recommends that the planning,management and delivery of school libraries needsto be a response to the learning needs of the pupilsin the school community and needs to understandthat different learners within the same communitywill require different types of support in accessingknowledge and information.

School librarians must be given access to, andmust interpret the rich data that teachers have onpupil background and performance in the schoolcommunity.

School librarians should be fully aware of thecommunity and home reading cultures of pupilsin their school.

School libraries must develop tools to respond todifferent needs of different groups of pupils this

might include opening the school library at specifictimes for different types of library use (quiet study,reading groups, group learning etc.), promotionsand resources which are aimed at specific groupsof pupils (ethnic press and musical interest, use ofsports and other popular cultural links).

English as an additional language materialsprovision and alternative format provision forchildren with special education needs must beintegrated in library planning.

11Clark and Douglas (forthcoming) Young Peoples Reading and Writing: An in-depth study focusing on enjoyment, behaviour,attitudes and attainment

12Ibid13Appendix 114Full transcripts of focus groups can be found at www.literacytrust.org.uk15Unicef (2007), Child poverty in perspective: An overview of child well-being in rich countries, p36


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Common templates for translating the communitydata into relevant school library provision should bedeveloped at a national level and school librariansshould be encouraged to use them annually torespond to change.

2.2Teachers, Headteachers andGovernors

We are currently developing a Transition Curriculum forYear 7 pupils. The aim of the curriculum is to aid thetransition process and deliver Personal Learning andThinking Skills to Year 7 pupils. The role of the librarianand the library in the London project was crucial toits success Pupils worked on and improved upon avariety of skills including research skills and literacy skills

(skimming and scanning), transforming information(e.g. turning facts into questions).Pupils enjoyed workingon the project and saw a real purpose to their work.16

City of London Academy

The research showed that while some headteachers

and governing bodies saw the school library as anessential element of their school development planmany others had given little thought to the part itcould be playing in the life of the school17. In theconsultation groups, headteachers who did notcurrently regard the library as a priority did not doso out of hostility but simply because they had notthought of it as a strategically useful resource18. This isin part as a result of the absence of the school libraryin official guidance and inspection frameworks and islinked to the low pay and status of school librarians.

Those headteachers and governing bodies who didrecognise the value and contribution the school libraryand school library service could make offered clearpointers as to how the service should be positioningitself in the future. Across the primary and secondarysectors they pointed to the need for:

Advocacy to school leaders through leadershipnetworks and groups to make them aware of therole of the school library and to promote knowledgeof successful models of good practice and theway in which the specific contribution of theschool library can help the school reach its targets.Awareness of the potential of school libraries isa significant issue. School library services have acrucial role to play in undertaking this advocacy.

Members of staff running school libraries toproactively provide information about levels andtypes of use to senior management in their ownschool and also in partner schools (feeders, schoolsin clusters and collaboratives), the contribution theymake to literacy and knowledge management andthe way in which they can support both formal andinformal learning.

The school library to play a part in the wider roleof the school helping it to deliver its after-hoursprovision and to work with the families andthe wider community to support literacy andenjoyment of reading.

School librarians to be positioning themselves aspart of the teaching staff in the school workingwith senior management and heads of departmentto identify how they can collectively supportlearning and reviewing their contribution againstthe goals and targets of the whole school.

16Appendix 2a17Appendix 118Full transcripts of focus groups can be found at www.literacytrust.org.uk


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Chapter 3The Supply Side: How school

libraries are delivered and operateIf the school library has a powerful role to playin pupil development and attainment then thenumber and quality of school libraries and the way inwhich they are supported by school library services,professional bodies and agencies committed to schoolimprovement is clearly critical.However, no systematic quantitative evidence of thecurrent levels of provision of school libraries currentlyexists. In assessing supply the Commission has had

to rely on partial statistical evidence and reports fromagencies that support school libraries these includeprofessional bodies as well as agencies committed toschool improvement.

3.1Primary School Libraries

Primary school library provision is determined by theshape of the primary school sector: a large numberof small schools with high levels of autonomy andrelatively small budgets means that provision variesmassively and even in those schools for which theschool library is a priority the employment of aqualified librarian is frequently not financially viable.

According to CILIPs 2010 research1981% of primaryschools have a designated library space (down from88% in Booktrusts 2007 survey20); 30% of which are

supervised by a school librarian most of whom arenot professionally qualified as librarians; 27% aresupervised by a teacher; 9% by volunteers and 14% aresupervised by nobody.

In the 2007 survey it was established that 31% of

persons in charge of primary school libraries had nospecialist knowledge of childrens literature.

The evidence received from one county library servicedescribed a typical range of primary school libraryprovision.

We acknowledge that whilst many primary schoolsboast impressive and well stocked school libraries,there are still those that are poorly located, badlyorganised and inappropriately stocked with old, out ofdate material, much of which is in poor condition. Insome schools the library is divided between individualclasses and there seems to be no real system in placeto encourage effective, purposive borrowing. Unless aLiteracy Co-ordinator or interested parent/carer is givenspecific responsibility for organising and managingthe library, many school libraries become just randomcollections of books which offer no attraction tochildren and remain largely under-used. Few teachershave been adequately trained in library organisation orstock promotion.

In this scenario the skills of staff from schools libraryservices could have a particularly valuable role to playin supporting and improving primary school libraryprovision.

3.2Secondary School Libraries

Secondary school library provision also variesmassively, although larger budgets, more space anda stronger professional tradition means that goodprovision is more established and less reliant on

partnerships with other schools and the schools libraryservice.

Booktrusts 2007 research showed that almost allsecondary schools have a dedicated school libraryspace. However, the quality varies enormously: CILIPsresearch demonstrates that 58.7% are run by aprofessionally qualified librarian (this does not indicateeducational expertise) and 34.8% by an otherdesignated school librarian21.

19CILIP (2010), School libraries in the UK A worthwhile past, a difficult present and a transformed future? Report of the UK National Survey, p1820Booktrust (2007) Library Books in Schools, p421CILIP (2010), School libraries in the UK A worthwhile past, a difficult present and a transformed future? Report of the UK National Survey, p4


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78 % of respondents to theBooktrust 2007 who managedsecondary schoollibraries

had specialist knowledge ofchildrens literature (22% didnot).

Although school libraries are more likely to be foundin secondary schools22, even where there is investmentit is possible that the school library is not fulfilling itspotential role as a result of the failure to integrate itsactivities within the schools plans for teaching andlearning.

3.3Schools Library Services

The last comprehensive study of schools libraryservices was in 2005 when 65% of children weresupported by a schools library service - 73% ofprimaries and 54% of secondaries subscribed to

their schools library service

23

. This followed a decadeof decline. In 1996 85% of children in schools weresupported by a schools library service24.

Schools library services could be a cost effective wayof ensuring that all schools, but particularly primaryschools, have access to the expertise and resourcesthey may not have on site or may not be able to affordin the future. However, the delegation of school libraryservice funds to schools has focused their businessmodel on the drive for buy back. As a result they do

not have the time or opportunity to step back anddevelop new models of delivery. That many are beingcut or slated for closure suggests that new deliveryand business models need to be identified which havea clear strategic direction and identity. Schools libraryservices need to be positioned to deliver improved

outcomes around reading, literacy and information ina cost effective and efficient way.

There are some significant examples of successfulservices which have made this transition and whichhave instigated or developed collaborative approachesto improving provision. In these models clusters ofprimary schools have worked in partnership with aschools library service.

Five years ago Tower Hamlets schools library servicedeveloped a new service which offers schools aqualified librarian to look after the library for a halfday or a day a week. Often, after the Tower Hamletsservice had helped schools set up and classify theirlibraries, staff changes meant that the libraries werenot being maintained. To combat this problem, thegroup of primary schools have a qualified librarian visitevery week and work in their library to ensure that it iswell maintained. The qualified librarian also helps theschools to make best use, not just of the schools ownresources, but also of the resources Tower HamletsSchools Library Service provides25.

In the future school library services will need to lookat new governance arrangements which would allowthem to operate in different and more flexible ways,diversifying their business and operating across localboundaries. These might include working as socialenterprise arms of commercial companies and workingwith public libraries and other agencies to providedifferent types of reading support.

As the Department for Education reviews howschools work with local agencies supporting school

improvement, they need to positively acknowledge thepotential contribution of schools library services. Theexpansion of the academies programme, the creationof free schools and the end of the National Strategiesmeans that this market will become increasinglycomplex. In response schools library services need tocreatively respond to the commissioning environmentand develop services that meet local needs.

22Booktrust (2007), Library Books in Schools23Creaser, C. & Maynard, S (2005),A Survey of Library Services to School and Children in the UK 2004-2005, pp209,210, 221-224Ibid25Appendix 2b


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3.4Supporting agencies

At this moment there are significant uncertaintiesabout how public and voluntary sector agenciessupporting school improvement will relate to schools.With the ending of the Government-sponsoredNational Strategies and moves to increase theautonomy of schools, it is likely that peer groups,collaboratives and clusters will commissionindependent consultants and agencies to work withthem to deliver locally identified school improvementtargets. Local authority services will fit within thismarket. This will potentially redefine the role of schoolslibrary services. It also offers an opportunity for publiclibraries, professional groups and third sector agenciesto take on a more significant role.

There are a plethora of groups and organisationsoffering support to school libraries. The Museums,Libraries and Archives council is currently the leadbody for libraries. School libraries have both a nationalprofessional body (the Chartered Institute for Libraryand Information Professionals with its own schoollibrary special interest group) as well as a nationalnetwork group (the School Library Association).The Association of Senior Childrens and EducationLibrarians is the focus for national leadership. TheNational Literacy Trusts Reading Connects network26of over 5,000 schools provides a focus for much school

library activity. Booktrust has undertaken research andsupport for school libraries. In addition the SpecialistSchools and Academies Trust has taken an increasinginterest in the improvement of school libraries duringthe last 5 years27.

Despite such a plenitude of networks, there arefew national statutory levers for school librarydevelopment. They have not formed a significantpart of the national school strategies. Neither doesthe regulatory system deem them obligatory. Recentcampaigns have drawn attention to the fact the

provision of school libraries is discretionary. DespiteOfsteds publication of a school library self evaluationframework28, and a review of provision, schools whichgain an excellent assessment in Ofsted inspection cando so without a school library, because Ofsted rightlyfocuses on outcomes rather than inputs.

In the current context the promotion of partnershipsfocused on school library improvement, pupilentitlements and the outcomes of school library

provision are a potentially stronger mechanism thanthe promotion of professionally endorsed standardswhich are input focused.

One of the key agencies which school libraries andschool library services could and should be working

more closely with is the public library. All pupils shouldbe encouraged to have a library card and be introducedto and encouraged to use their public library. Theresources of the public library and the different skillssets of the staff who work there should be beingharnessed to broaden and enhance the reading andinformation offer of the school. Partnership withthe public library service allows the school library todemonstrate the role it plays as a vital resource for thewhole community.

26 http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/reading_connects27 https://www.ssatrust.org.uk/Pages/home.aspx28Ofsted (2006), Good School Libraries: Making a difference to learning


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Chapter 4Improvement: The principles of

good school library provisionThe Commission was presented with a wealth ofevidence which demonstrated excellent practice indelivering library services in schools. Some of this hadnot been publicised or shared, highlighting the factthat leading practice is not well documented.

The research examined by the Commission suggeststhat at the heart of all successful provisions are aset of core principles. These need to be the basisfor all models of successful school library provision.

This chapter explains what these principles are andthe evidence from research and best practice whichunderpins them.

The body of research which the Commissionexamined tended to identify the same three factorsas determining the effectiveness of school libraryprovision. These were highlighted by the 2000 DfESsponsored research into effective school libraryprovision undertaken by Robert Gordon University29:

Definitions of what quality inputs in all these areas looklike were readily identified by many submissions ofevidence. These reflected well established professionalguidance.

However, a fourth factor would also seem to comeinto play in determining the effectiveness of theschool library in an ever increasingly diverse schoolcommunity. Personalised school libraries, thatis services that are built on the analysis of andengagement with the diverse needs of the school

community, are fundamentally better equipped to fulfiltheir learning and teaching role. Both in the evidencesupplied and in the research undertaken there wasstrong evidence that one size of school library will notfit all learners and that the design of the service needsto consciously engage with the differentiated needs ofdifferent pupils.

On this basis the Commission believes that there arefour factors which determine effective provision. Theseare the basic principles which need to be addressed inprimary and secondary provision and which schoolslibrary services and partner agencies need to focus on.

The Commission received powerful evidence of theimportance of all four.

29Williams, Wavel and Coles (2001), Impact of School Library Services on Achievement and Learning

Effectivestaffing

Partnershipwith planningand teaching

Resources inall media

Effectivestaffing

Partnershipwith planning

and teaching

Resources inall media

Personalisation


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4.1Resources in all media

The most attractive element of provision for pupilsis reading materials (56.4% say it is why they usethe library, compared to 37% who use it for thecomputers30). The evidence demonstrated how schoollibraries are now integrating new technologies intotheir collections, managing collections that weredeep and varied and that could work together tosupport learning. At the same time the evidence fromheadteachers suggests that most do not consider theschool library to have a strategic role in the schools ICTdevelopment and use. As such they are failing to getthe best possible value from a key resource that theyhave in the school.

The need to tailor resources in the library to

different audiences came through as a strongfinding of the National Literacy Trusts researchfor the Commission. Their need for differentiatedresources was a particularly significant trend. Youngpeoples media consumption patterns and forms ofaccessing information as well as their behavioursand attitudes to reading are influenced by their age,gender, socioeconomic backgrounds and ethnicity31.This research confirmed that there were significantdifferences, particularly related to ethnicity in theirattitudes to school libraries. For instance Asian pupilsput a far higher value on the book stock.

43.1% of Asian pupils who

did not use the library did so

because they did not rate the

book stock, as opposed to

24.4% of Black pupils and 33.6%

of White pupils who did not use

the library32.

4.2Effective staffing

By far the strongest bank of evidence received bythe Commission concerned the importance of theschool librarian. In part this might reflect the factthat much of the evidence came from professionalseager to document their value. There were powerful

professional statements which bear witness to thestrong vocational sense of many librarians. Thesignificance of the staffing in school libraries indelivering outcomes echoes the findings of OFSTEDresearch in 200433. In a survey of 32 primary andsecondary school libraries inspectors observed that the

best school librarians had a positive impact both onteaching and on students learning.

The impact of a knowledgeableand well qualified librarian on allaspects of the service, includingthe quality of the stock, should notbe underestimated.

Although they understood their centrality to theeffectiveness of the school library, a common themein most of the professional evidence from schoollibrarians was a sense of frustration and professionalisolation. This was linked to environmental,management and operational factors. But it mayalso be the consequence of the distance which somelibrarians feel that their service needs to maintain fromthe classroom and from pedagogy.

The issue of the professional identity of the schoollibrarian was discussed by the Commission. A commontheme in educational research over the past decadehas been the correlation of the levels of professionalqualification of the school workforce with pupil levelsof attainment34. The Commission believes that theskills of the school librarian are crucial to unlocking thepotential of the school library.

School librarians have traditionally been trainedthrough a librarianship route: a degree or postgraduatequalification in information management, followedby two years of professional practice before receiving

30Clark, C. (2010) Linking School Libraries and Literacy: Young peoples reading habits and attitudes to their school library31Clark & Hawkins (2010), Young Peoples Reading: The importance of the home environment and family support32Clark, C. (2010) Linking School Libraries and Literacy: Young peoples reading habits and attitudes to their school library33Ofsted (2006), Good school libraries: making a difference to learning, p1334McKinsey (2007), How the Worlds Best-performing Schools Come Out on Top, p5


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their professional charter. However we are concernedthat the current professional training and formationfor school librarians is not adequate. As well as thevital skills of information management and stockmanagement they need a deep understanding oflearning, pedagogy and child development. However,

the generic qualification framework for librarianship isnot sufficient to run an effective school library

Without this training they will be inhibited in theirability to work within the curriculum, limited in theirinput into curriculum planning and it will weaken thestrategic position of the school library, making it harderfor it to occupy that space at the heart of the school.

Anyone in charge of a school library requires at leasta basic understanding of library management andchildrens reading, alongside a familiarity with teachingand support for learning and an awareness of childdevelopment.

The Commission recommends that: A module in library management and childrens

reading should be available for all those teachersand teaching assistants who currently manage aschool library.

All school librarians who are professionally trainedin librarianship should undertake a module inteaching, learning and child development. Suchtraining is widely available.

All providers of initial teacher training should makeavailable modules or placement opportunitiesin school libraries. Where possible these shouldbe offered in association with Higher EducationInstitutions who are offering courses in librarianshipand information management.

Higher Education Institutions providing courses in

librarianship and information management shouldoffer a module in learning and teaching and childdevelopment.

School librarians should be expected to have beentrained through one of these routes. In addition theyneed to be part of any Inset training which staff receivewithin the school to help them work with pupils.The school library needs to be managed by a memberof staff who has a strong knowledge of children,

their reading and their learning. The librarian mustbe confident both in terms of the role of the libraryin supporting delivery of the curriculum, raisinglevels of literacy and supporting information skills.Current professional pathways do not necessarilycreate members of the schools workforce who areequipped to deliver the unique pedagogy which is thecharacteristic of the school library.

4.3Partnership with planning andteaching in school and organisationsoutside it

Many school librarians feel that the effectiveness oftheir service is limited by management factors in theschool. There is a sense that many school librariansare denied the status they need to develop the libraryas a strategic school resource. This is undeniably thecase. It is also apparent that the discrete professionalidentity of some school librarians and the distance that

some school libraries create between themselves andclassroom practice exacerbates management factors.School librarians need to be re-positioning themselvesas part of the teaching staff in the school workingwith senior management and heads of departmentto identify how they can collectively support learningand to influence teaching and learning. Headteachersalso need to build the school library into the wholeschool plan and into workforce development plans understanding the value of the contribution it canmake, challenging it to do more and reviewing its


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contribution against the goals and targets of the wholeschool.

The evidence presented and research prepared for theCommission showed that:

School librarians are comfortable with concepts ofreading for pleasure but not so comfortable withliteracy and phonics making them less relevant tothe schools literacy agenda.

Many school librarians do not feel comfortabletaking on a teaching role35and many have noteacher training, causing an ambivalence in termsof their role in delivering the curriculum.

Many school libraries are conceived and managedas a third space neither home nor school.

School libraries, with some notable exceptions,are not at the cutting edge of literacy practice orinformation provision and knowledge management,therefore their contribution to these priorities isunderestimated.

A 21stcentury vision for any school activity muststart with delivering effective learning outcomes. Fora school library and a school library service the coreoutcomes are: supporting literacy; motivating childrento love and enjoy reading; teaching children to accessand use information and turn it into knowledge.The evidence which the School Library Commissioncollected showed how important the service could bein delivering these outcomes.

These skills are fundamental in enabling youngpeople to chose the best life pathways and yet theevidence showed that school librarians and schoollibrary services were frequently poor at identifyingthe learning outcomes they were delivering and atpresenting their role in the learning process to senior

staff and to school governors.

School Library Services as well as school librarians alsoseem to be, on occasion, ambivalent about their rolein delivering educational outcomes. Many services intheir evidence found it hard to identify their outcomes;others talked only about cultural themes, neglectingthe equally important educational ones. This is astrategic challenge for anyone trying to deliver a libraryservice in or to a school; the service will only thrive if itis embedded in the schools own improvement plansand if the people running the service understand the

way in which reading and literacy is being taught in theschool and know how to support it.

These attitudes in School Library Services arecompounded by the ambivalent position of someschools library services within local services: whilst

many schools library services are administered bythe public library service, staffed by people who aremainly library-trained, their clients are schools (andsometimes early years settings and colleges) to whichtheir funding is delegated.

At a national level there is confusion whether theirstrategic lead rests with the Department for Educationor the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Where schools library services have a strong alignmentwith local education priorities they can realise theirpotential role in supporting school improvement. Oneschools library service explained to the Commission:

It is clear to us that the success ofour school library service is largelydue to the fact that it is based andmanaged within the EducationDepartment. The service is located

in the Service ImprovementTeam and is managed by oneof the senior inspectors. Therequirements on the service andon the staff are emphatically to bepart of the process of supportingschools and helping them with

their developments

36

.Where public library services are closely linked ordeemed to underpin corporate agendas such as healthand learning, school library services can also play afundamental role not just in supporting the school butalso in assisting public libraries support young peopleoutside school with the best library provision.

Previous reports (Empowering the LearningCommunity37, Investing in Children ) have lookedat the three types of library services for children38

35Williams, Wavel and Coles (2001), Impact of School Library Services on Achievement and Learning36Full transcripts of focus groups can be found at www.literacytrust.org.uk37Library Information Commission (2000), Empowering the Learning Community38Ellzin and Denham (1995), Investing in Children: A real strategy for future development?


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and young people (public libraries, schools libraryservices and school libraries) and have advocatedtheir integration with each other to improve delivery.In the current environment partnerships need to bebuilt on outcomes not on the format of services. TheCommissioning of local services requires both public

and school library services to work on integrateddelivery with other providers to children and youngpeople. The school librarys primary identity needs tobe that of school not of library.

In Coventry the Schools Library Service is part ofEducation and Learning and has been commissioned toundertake a benchmarking survey of all primary schoollibraries and a citywide review of library facilities tosupport Post 16 Education as part of an Ofsted ActionPlan following an Area wide inspection of the localauthority. In both cases these reviews led to significantimprovements in school library provision.39

Coventry Schools Libraries Service

School libraries and school library services need tobe whole hearted in their role in supporting andinfluencing teaching and learning. They need tounderstand their own pedagogy and the pedagogy ofthe classroom and how the two interact. Operatingas they are in an educational context they need to beclear about their support for the vision the schoolsleadership has for the school and demonstrate thecontribution they can make to deliver that vision.Stronger alignment of school libraries with theireducational purpose needs to be the fundamentaltheme underpinning school library improvementactivity.

4.4Personalisation

One of the issues which became clear from the

consultation was that the need to focus more onlearning outcomes had also to be accompanied bya better understanding of how children and youngpeople learn. The consultation responses tended tofocus on the universal nature of what the schoollibraries offer the library as a safe space withresources available which children could use in avariety of ways to meet their needs. But this approachfails to recognise the very differentiated needs ofchildren and young people.

There were some excellent examples offered in theevidence of where a school library had addressed theneeds of a particular group of pupils and developed aservice based on their needs:

Our school library has been fundamental to developing

the way we work with boys. We recognised manyyears ago that boys who arrived at secondary schoolwith literacy needs felt alienated and found it difficultto access lessons. Research showed us the need toput into place a programme to raise literacy levelsand provide a framework of behaviour interventions.The library spearheaded a reading trail structure forEnglish lessons. We empowered the staff to take alead, provided the resources and the library went fromstrength to strength.40

Forest Hill School, Lewisham

39Appendix 2c40Appendix 2d


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Chapter 5New Delivery Mechanisms

The Commission is mindful that it is making itsrecommendations at a unique moment. The electionof the Coalition Government in May 2010 means thatmany of the mechanisms for improving schools willchange and all will be operating within a climateof straitened resources. However, the Commissionbelieves that the necessity for change in schoollibraries and schools library services if recognised anddriven by the sector itself, could have a significantimpact on teaching, learning and national standardsof literacy.

Schools, like all organisations, need to look at waysof saving money and getting better value for money.School libraries and school library services are, as thisreport has shown, very vulnerable because they are inmany schools and Local Authorities perceived as anadded value activity rather than an essential one andas not fundamental to delivering the learning goalsof the school. As everyone seeks to find new ways ofdelivering high quality services school libraries need tobe taking pro-active steps to identify new partnershipsand new approaches.

Many of the most effective examples of excellentschool library provision identified as a result of thisresearch were the results of partnerships. Mostfrequently these were with or were facilitated by schools library services. However, frequently they werealso with other schools or local or national businessesor third sector agencies.

Partnerships to improve and deliver school librariesare particularly important for schools where resourceswere scarce. At a time when the public sector is

facing tighter economic management the potential ofschools working in partnership to purchase and deliverimproved provision will become increasingly important.

As the top-down mechanisms for school improvementare removed, partnerships will inevitably provide avital mechanism in sharing best practice betweenschools and supporting improvement. Schools willbe encouraged to develop partnerships with otherschools, schools library services, businesses, charitiesand public libraries as the primary mechanism ofimproving their provision.

There are already bodies in place which can supportthis process and which could help to broker thetypes of relationships needed. Some partnershipswill be about purchasing and commissioning, someabout sharing resources and some about learning.However we believe that access to these partnerships

and contacts is crucial if schools are to be given aframework for exploring how their school libraryprovision can be improved.

The Commission hopes a network of school librarypartnerships will provide a national dynamicframework for improving all four elements of goodschool library provision.

The partnerships suggested for schools may includeworking with the following agencies, all of whom werecited as partners in the evidence presented to theCommission:

Schools library services.

Public libraries: joint working and co-locatedprovision.The issue of improving the links betweenpublic and school libraries and of the co-location ofschool and public and/or college libraries has beena recurring theme over the past thirty years. Manypartnerships have faltered because of partnershipmanagement issues, but for both strategic andeconomic reasons the model makes good senseand should be taken seriously, particularly for thecontribution it can make to the development ofextended services.


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Primary schools working with secondary schools:Cross phase libraries.In many authorities therelationship between secondary schools and theirfeeder primaries is significant not just in terms ofsupporting transition but as a strategic frameworkfor the local learning community. Pyramid provision

of school libraries with either a shared commonspace or with a shared library team wouldstrengthen the partnership.

Primary schools working together: Primary clustercollaborative libraries.Some authorities (such asTower Hamlets) already have shared primary schoollibrary provision. As collaboratives, federations andclusters become more common this model needsfurther promotion particularly through a moresystematic evaluation of the efficiencies it achieves.

Despite the effectiveness of partnerships, it is clearfrom the research that access to some kind of nationalsupport is often vital if change and development isto happen. For the librarian working alone or for theschool library service struggling to deliver the service,trying to reconfigure the service or to develop andimprove it is challenging. They need help to developnew business models; to broker partnerships; to accessbest practice and to grow their skills and network withothers. Professional support bodies like the SchoolLibrary Association already provide some of thissupport and could position themselves to offer morein the future.

Chapter 6Summary of Recommendations

6.1The Department for Education

Most of the recommendations in this report are aimedat the headteachers, governors, school librarians andthe agencies responsible for supporting change andimprovement in the sector.

However, all would be supported in their work if, ata national level, The Department for Education wereto wholeheartedly endorse the role of school librariesand schools library services in supporting the newgovernments renewed commitment to literacy.

In the education strategies of the past decade,apart from guidance papers for the Key Stage 3/Secondary Strategy41, school libraries were invisible.This meant that they were perceived as being relativelyinsignificant to national educational priorities and amajor lever to their improvement was lost. In future,

major education initiatives need to consider thepotential role of school libraries.

As the Department for Education reviews howschools work with local agencies supporting schoolimprovement, they need to positively acknowledge thepotential contribution of schools library services. Theexpansion of the academies programme, the creationof free schools and the end of the National Strategiesmeans that this market will become increasinglycomplex. In response schools library services need tocreatively respond to the commissioning environmentand develop services that meet local needs.

6.2Headteachers and SchoolGovernors

Recognise the contribution that the school libraryand the schools library service make to inspiringchildrens reading, supporting their literacy anddeveloping their information skills.

Build the school library into the planningand delivery of the curriculum and review itscontribution to the whole school delivery plan.

Consider the school library as a tool in the SchoolImprovement Plan and include it in the SelfEvaluation Framework (SEF).

Recognise the role the school library can play inthe safeguarding agenda and ensure that staff aretrained to deliver this and that the role of the libraryis built into the anti-bullying strategy.

Challenge and champion the service and act as anadvocate for it with colleagues.

Review how the service is delivered to see if thereare new partnerships which can be developed and/or more cost effective ways of delivering the service.

Examine whether school library provision is a themefor development through primary clusters.

41 http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/search/secondary/results/nav:46515


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Ensure the library is an active player in providingextended services and support for families as wellas fulfilling the schools community cohesion duty.

Review the Continuing Professional Development(CPD) programme for school librarians and ensure

that they receive the training which will supportthem in forging better delivery partnerships acrossthe school.

Ensure that pupils have access to staff who havethe expert knowledge of childrens literature whichcan help build a love of reading and knowledge ofhow to develop pupils information literacy skills.

Give libraries a strategic role in the schools ICTdevelopment and use.

Every governing body should have a governor withdesignated responsibility for the school library. Itmay be appropriate to combine this role with thegovernor who takes a lead on literacy issues.

6.3School Librarians

Understand and inuence the vision the schoolsleadership has for the school, be up to date withschool policies and actively contribute to the School

Improvement Plan and SEF.

Work pro-actively in partnership with teachersthrough curriculum planning to align the schoollibrary with their educational purpose and involvethemselves in delivery.

Create new partnerships in the wider communitywith feeder/partner school libraries, public libraries,booksellers, community and voluntary groups.

Involve pupils in library design, management and

delivery.

Understand the reading cultures of the pupils andensure that the service can meet and support theirdifferentiated needs.

Keep up to date with how pupils use new mediaand support this in the library.

Review their own CPD to develop theirunderstanding of pedagogy and their role in childsafety.

Develop the evidence base about the use andimpact of the service using tools such as InspiringLearning for All42.

6.4Professional and Support Bodies

Develop a module in library management andchildrens reading for all those teachers andteaching assistants who currently manage a schoollibrary.

Ensure that all school librarians who areprofessionally trained in librarianship canundertake training in teaching, learning and childdevelopment.

Encourage providers of initial teacher training tomake available school library modules or placementopportunities in school libraries.

Ensure that Higher Education Institutionsproviding courses in librarianship and informationmanagement should offer access to an accreditedmodule in learning and teaching and childdevelopment.

Collect and disseminate best practice in the deliveryof school libraries and the school library services.

Develop the evidence base around impact andoutcomes.

Create a virtual national network for school librarygovernors.

42http://www.inspiringlearningforall.gov.uk


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Schools library services should have links to localauthority governor support units and ensure anannual training opportunity relating to schoollibraries.

6.5Local Authorities

The evidence received by the Commissiondemonstrated that schools library services can fulfil avital role in raising the standard of provision of schoollibraries within a local authority. Due to strategicneglect and funding arrangements many services areon the brink of disappearing. The Commission believesthat if the service does disappear another agencywould have to be invented which would supportschools in raising the standard of their school libraries.

The Commission believes that local authorities need to:

Recognise school library services as a cost effectiveway of providing expertise and skills around readingand information literacy to schools.

Use them as local agencies of school improvementwith a particular focus on improving literacystandards.

Encourage them to forge strong partnerships.

Support the service in looking at new businessmodels which could enable them to diversify theirservices; provide better value for money and surviveand thrive.

6.6Campaigners, Champions andAuthors

The role of advocacy in supporting school library

development has been increasingly understood overthe past few years. The Commission feels that effectivecampaigning in the future needs to argue for changesin the model of school libraries as well as for increaseddemand for their services from school and educationleaders. Moreover, the networks of those committedto championing the service need to be broadened.A strategic advocacy partnership with the NationalCollege should be formed and a network of schoolgovernors supportive of school libraries created. Theseshould provide the focus for future advocacy activity.

ConclusionReading the Future

In its call for evidence the Commission asked thequestion is there any other service or partnership whichcan deliver the outcomes of a school library?In neitherthe evidence supplied nor the research examined couldthe Commissioners find any evidence that the schoollibraries role could be delivered in another way.

An effective school library acting as a powerhouseof learning and reading within a school is a uniqueresource.

Our vision of a renewed school library system in thenations schools is fundamentally about realising thepotential of every child by exciting the latent readerand learner in all.

The childs experience of the school and of learning willimpact decisively on his future, and for many childrenthe library is a vital part of this experience, although foreach the experience will differ, for every child is unique:

For this ones dreams and that ones acts

For all whove failed or aged beyondThe reach of teachers, here are found

The inspiration and the facts.

Hear it again!43

43Hughes, T. (1997), Hear It Again.


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Appendix 1Summary of Evidence Gathered

During consultation for the School Library Commissionevidence was gathered in the following ways:

An open call for evidence, with over 90 submissionsreceived.

Focus group with pupils aged 11-16, BuxtonCommunity School.

Three focus groups with school staff, includingteachers, school librarians and headteachers.

Virtual focus group with local authority staff andother stakeholders.

Below is a summary of evidence gathered throughoutthe consultation.

1.It is generally agreed that childrenneed to read widely, enjoy readingand are able to find the information

they need from a range of sources,evaluate it critically and synthesisetheir findings. In the context of theCommissions work, are there otheroutcomes for children and youngpeople, their families and parentsand the wider community that weneed to consider?

The most common response from submissions, focusgroups and the expert roundtable was a focus on therole a library plays in supporting children who findschool life difficult through bullying, disability or both.Some respondents linked this to the Stay Safe outcomeof the Every Child Matters (ECM) agenda.

Comments such as Address the personal well beingof children and provide a safe, neutral and supportiveenvironment, especially for children who feel threatenedin a classroom setting.were typical, and while this isnot a core outcome associated with school libraries thestrength of response was overwhelming.

The themes of freedom to learn and equality of accessalso appeared regularly in responses, particularly

pertaining to digital inclusion. Address the digitaldivide school libraries need to differentiate betweenthe IT literate and technologically competent. Manyrespondents also saw tolerance as an importantoutcome associated with libraries.

Many respondents, particularly those in the focusgroups believed strongly that school libraries werevital for helping children to enjoy their learning, whichwould support their achievement. Some responsestied this to the ECM agenda, particularly the enjoy andachieve strand.

Improved outcomes through partnership working werealso mentioned in many responses. It was reportedthat school libraries are ideally situated to Build linksbetween the school and the local communityand canprovide an ideal opportunity to engage reluctant adultreaders. Some explicitly tied this belief in partnership tothe Building Schools for the Future agenda.

Finally, introducing children to libraries more generallywas seen by many as vital. School libraries were seento be a potential introduction to academic, public andspecialist libraries.

2.What are the adult skills, attitudesand knowledge required to helpchildren achieve these outcomes?

There was a strong feeling among respondents thata professionally trained librarian is essential to run aschool library effectively. However, many answers alsoreferences the importance of senior managementinvolvement in the library as essential for success.

The specific skills most often mentioned as vital were:

Knowledge of information handling

Research skills

An understanding of pedagogy and the curriculum

ICT skills

Some written responses also focused on the need forlibrarians to be approachable, work well with childrenand being knowledgeable about childrens literature.A keen knowledge of childrens literature featured veryprominently in the young peoples focus group.

Interestingly, some respondents felt that librariansshould be considered teacher librariansand that theirpedagogical knowledge needs to improve in order forthem to be considered less peripheral in the school.


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This was in direct contrast to other respondents whobelieved that a teacher may have a lack of key skillssuch as information handling skills or knowledge ofICT developmentsand whose other pressures maycompromise their ability to do the job.

3.What experiences do childrenneed in order to achieve theseoutcomes?

Almost every response received by the Commissionfocused on the need for School libraries [to] providechildren with a welcoming, supportive and informallearning setting.Allowing children to feel comfortableand providing an environment in which they can take

risks with their learningwas seen as fundamental tolibraries success.Many felt that importance should be placed on familyactivities and personalised learning opportunities thatpromote reading. Children should have time to readfor pleasure and events such as visiting authors orcompetitions will encourage a love of books which willdevelop into a life-long reading habit.

Along with the opportunity to become an independentreader, many respondents raised the importance of the

library in preparing children for future careers, sayingchildren need the opportunity to research online and tohave reference tools, with visits from careers advisers.This answer was particularly prominent in focus groupswith school staff.

The vast majority of respondents felt there was astrong sense that children needed to be given freedomin the library.

4.What resources do children needto achieve these outcomes?

The most regularly mentioned resources were:

Books

Computers

Time given by the librarian

The chance to meet authors, poets etc.

There was also a sense that children would benefitfrom specific targeted lessons in research andreference skills, although this ran in contrast to manyof the submissions which suggested that freedom and

informal learning are the libraries greatest strengths.

5.What resources and support arerequired by parents, teachers and

the childrens workforce to allowchildren to achieve these outcomes?

Many highlighted the importance of parentalinvolvement and how school libraries should promotethe importance of reading among them. There was abelief that school libraries can provide help for parentswith poor basic literacy skills by providing supportand resources, and some linked this into developingan extended schools agenda. Some believed that theschool library should play a stronger role in helping

parents identify appropriate reading materialfor theirchildren, and that access to the librarian for parentswas essential for this. Some suggested that integratinglibrary management systems with the Virtual LearningEnvironment was also essential.

The response from Tower Hamlets SLS suggestedthat it is essential that there are Nationally agreedstandards/quality performance indicators for aschool library and that libraries are included in Ofstedinspections.

6.How does the school library andschool library service support thedelivery of outcomes?

Similar themes to those already discussed werebrought up most often in discussions about how thelibrary supports outcomes. Freedom to learn, access tomaterials and resources and the interest of a trainedlibrarian all featured in many submissions.

The focus of many responses suggested that the mostvalued function of Schools Library Service is its advisoryrole and its access to wider stock than for individuallibraries. Of most interest was the submission fromIslington School Library Service which states that:

the success of our school library service is largelydue to the fact that it is based and managedwithin the Education Department in Islington. Theservice is located in the School Improvement Teamand is managed by one of the school inspectors.

The requirements of the service and on staff areemphatically to be part of the process of supportingschools and helping them with their developments.


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7.What other agencies have a rolein delivering these outcomes?

A wide range of other agencies were mentioned inanswer to this question:

Local public libraries

Connexions

Local youth service providers

Adult and Community Learning Services

Local Authority Culture departments

Early Years and Teenage Services

Childrens Trust Board

School Improvement Division

SLA (School Library Association)

ASCEL (Association of Senior Childrens Libraryand Information Advisors)

Local Authority Childrens Services SchoolImprovement, Extended Schools

The Museums Libraries and Archives Council

Key charities such as The National Literacy Trust,The Reading Agency and Booktrust

Schools Library Group CILIP; Youth Libraries GroupCILIP

Of particular interest appears to be the role of thepublic library service. Many respondents mentionedgood partnerships with the public library service;

however, there were many overlapping areas whichsuggest that with constrained funding the two servicescould be in competition.

8.How could these outcomes bedelivered more effectively in thefuture?

Answers from the open call for evidence suggested

that a consistency of provision could be achieved withthe introduction of minimum national standards andspecific funding allocations for resources. There shouldbe effective communication between school librarians,schools and other agencies. Many felt that there

should be more cooperation between teachers andlibrarians and that Inset days should be introduced tofoster collaborations.

West Berkshire council suggested better outcomescould be delivered through dual use community and

school libraries. This was also mentioned in variousfocus group settings.

More support for school librarians was identified asbeing needed and some suggested that a SchoolsLibrary Service should be introduced in every educationauthority. Better joined up working with Children andYoung Peoples Directorates was also mentioned.

An investment in national programmes was alsosuggested as something that could reach a wideaudience and provide resources for quality initiatives.

9.How can the school libraryand schools library service workto deliver these outcomes moreeffectively in the future? Pleaseconsider the following:

The opportunities created by developments in

the curriculum.

As the curriculum is increasingly divided thematicallyit was felt that Schools Library Services can supplyschools with a far greater range of resources forthe curriculum than individual schools are able topurchase, aiding the development of this type oflearning.

Many professionals also believed that the movetowards cross-curricular teaching has created anopportunity for individual librarians to apply their

knowledge and creativity to provide a well-stockedlibrary appropriate to curriculum needs.

The partners it should be working with

The most commonly mentioned partners were:

Extended schools

Families

Ofsted

QCDA

School Improvement Service


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Public Libraries

Teaching staff

Early years and childcare

The clusters and networks it should be involved in

The most commonly mentioned were:

Local partnerships for children

SLA

English Coordinators

ASCEL (Association of Senior Children and EducationLibrarians)

CILIP

How it should fit within the extended school system

There was a strong feeling that the school libraryshould not be used for detentions but solely foractivities which promote positive attitudes to books,reading and literacy.

Many respondents, particularly in the local authorityfocus group believed school libraries had a key roleto play in extended schools. They said that schoollibraries should be integrated with the rest of theschool providing after school clubs, homework sessionsand reading/writing groups.The library should provideaccess to resources before school, after school and inthe lunch hour.

How it should work within local authority

performance and delivery systemsSome respondents felt that school libraries shouldfeature in school improvement plans and have targetsand performance indicators. Minimum standardsshould be introduced to ensure consistency.

How it could become more cost effective and efficientSome respondents suggested that minimum standardsshould be implemented and assessed for school

libraries and that both individual libraries and SLSshould be part of school improvement plans andassessed accordingly.

What the relationship should be between theschool library, the school library service and thepublic library network

While most respondents believed that all three servicesshould and could work together in partnership there

were some reservations expressed. For instance CILIPsaid we must guard against the possibility of the SLSproviding an excuse for individual schools not to havetheir own librarian.

In Hampshire the public library service and SLSis lead by one Head of Service allowing for twocomplementary services. In this instance the SLSfocuses on curriculum development while the publiclibrary focuses on the recreational resource needs of thechild.

What the relationship should be between the schoollibrary, the school library service and organisationsworking with children and young people

There was a tendency in the evidence to suggest thatorganisations working with children and young peopleshould work more closely with school libraries, ratherthan to suggest ways in which school libraries couldbuild relationships. There were suggestions of improvedteacher training and other ways in which bridges couldbe built to school libraries.

What the relationship should be between the schoollibrary and school leadership in terms of targetsetting and monitoring to deliver the schoolspriorities

Suggestions included:

School libraries should feature in whole schoolimprovement plans.

Sustained and creative use of the library, such asencouraging reading for pleasure and integratinginformation skills with curriculum goals, should be apart of a teachers annual appraisal.

Librarians should be kept in the loopand should beaware of school priorities through meeting regularlywith the school leadership team.

What are the comparative challenges of establishing

and popularising school libraries in areas withdifferent socioeconomic and ethnic groupings

While some respondents stated that the schools ownlibrarian is well placed to establish the needs of pupils


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in their own catchment area, there was a consensusthat more work needed to be done in this area. Oneresponse suggested thatschools and school librariesneed to be more proactive in promoting the benefits oflibraries and reading familieswhile another said thatthe library needs to reflect the diversity of the children

in its book stock.

Can other agencies and services add value throughpartnerships with schools libraries or deliver theseoutcomes themselves?

Responses suggested that if school libraries couldcreate a safe and neutral environment then otheragencies and partners could use the space. Connexionscareers advice was mentioned in this context.

10.What do you think needs tohappen to create a sustainable andvalued school library and schoollibrary service in the next ten years?

Common responses included:

Consistency of provision minimum standards,equality of access (cannot be provided at an

individual school level but needs to be setnationally).

Schools should have a dedicated member of staff

to run the school library, preferably a qualifiedlibrarian.

School libraries should become a statutoryrequirement.

School librarians need to be acknowledged asprofessionals within school and meet regularly with

leadership team.

Wider availability of specialist courses for schoollibrarians so they can be up-to-date with latestdevelopments.

Teacher training needs to include the benets ofschool library provision so that school libraries canbe recognised and valued as key elements in achilds development and education.

Policy makers need to be convinced of the essentialrole played by librarians in literary education and tounderstand the relationship between schools andlibraries.

The school inspection regime should be used toencourage positive attitudes and promote goodpractice on the part of heads and teachers towardslibraries and information centres.

Ensure all reading spaces are welcoming, well-

designed, modern and suited to the needs of thechildren in each school.

A review of how school library services are funded.

Appendix 2Example case studies from theopen call to evidence

Appendix 2aCity of London Academy, Southwark

More than just lending books: Working in collaborationwith the library staff to enrich the curriculum. At Cityof London Academy, we are currently developing aTransition Curriculum for Year 7 pupils. The aim of thecurriculum is to aid the transition process and deliverPersonal Learning and Thinking Skills to Year 7 pupils.We also aim to develop pupils literacy skills andprovide them with transferable skills which they canuse across the curriculum, for example research skills.

We found that pupils are often asked to conductresearch without being taught the methods with whichto do so. We decided, therefore to teach these skills topupils, in addition to reading skills such as skimmingand scanning and this resulted in the London project.

Source: Submissions from the open call to evidencedocument.

Appendix 2bTower Hamlets Schools LibrariesService

The Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service has beenrunning since 1991 and covers 112 schools in the

Tower Hamlets and Hackney area. The service isprimarily a library of resources that teachers borrowfrom to support them in their classroom teaching.The benefit to the schools is that it is cost effective.


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They can borrow resources, up to 35,000 worth ayear, and keep them for as long as they need them,rather than having to buy them. The Schools LibraryService also advises on developing reading for pleasureand creating whole-school reading cultures as wellas going into schools and advising on setting up and

organising libraries.

Five years ago, Gill Harris, Head of Service at TowerHamlets developed a new service where schools areoffered a qualified librarian to look after the libraryfor a half day or a day a week. Staff changes oftenmean that libraries are not being maintained, buthaving a qualified librarian visit every week can ensureconsistency. The qualified librarian also helps theschools to make best use, not just of the schools ownresources, but also of the resources Tower HamletsSchools Library Service provides. An added benefit isthat the service also provides an income stream tothe Schools Library Service, helping it to be moreself-sustaining.

The Schools Library Service works best when all schoolsin the area subscribe, and provides a vital service to theschools. As Gill says, We know that good libraries anda strong reading culture in schools lead to higher levelsof attainment. The advent of new technology meansthere may be a greater emphasis on online resources,but there will always be a need for resources such asartefacts, costumes and props in order to encouragecreative learning, and hence a need for the SchoolLibrary Service.

Source: Interview by Anna Jones, Marketing Officerat National Literacy Trust, with Gillian Harris, Head ofService at Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service on16 July 2010.

Appendix 2cCoventry Schools Libraries Service

Closer alliance between School Improvement and aSchool Library Service will ensure a more cohesivemessage is delivered to schools and will reinforce thefact that school libraries are a support to learningsince they will be supporting professional developmentfor teachers in the same way that a school librarywill support pupils. In Coventry the Schools LibraryService is part of Education and Learning and has beencommissioned to undertake a benchmarking surveyof all primary school libraries and a citywide review

of library facilities to support Post 16 Education aspart of an Ofsted Action Plan following an Area wideinspection of the local authority. In both cases thesereviews led to significant improvements in schoollibrary provision.

At authority level there is a need for clearer planningand targets at local authority level which recognise thecontribution that libraries (school, SLS and public) canand should make i.e. in the Childrens Plan.

There is also need for effective, regular communication

between library services, schools and other agenciesinvolved in delivering these outcomes.

Source: Submissions from the open call to evidencedocument.

Appendix 2dForest Hill School, Lewisham, London

Our school library has been fundamental to developing

the way we work with boys. We recognised manyyears ago that boys who arrived at secondary schoolwith literacy needs felt alienated and found it difficultto access lessons. Research showed us the need toput into place a programme to raise literacy levelsand provide a framework of behaviour interventions.The library spearheaded a reading trail structure forEnglish lessons. We empowered the staff to take alead, provided the resources and the library went fromstrength to strength.

Its priority is to build relationships with all new children

so that they can feel recognised, known and secure inthis new place. I feel very proud of the relationshipswhich are at the heart of the library offer. The librarianis in a unique position to make a difference to a childsreading. They have the expertise to mediate betweena childs reading ability and the different kinds ofliterature that exist for young people. It is essentialthat this person is a reader of contemporary childrensliterature as maintaining this knowledge is time-consuming and not part of a teachers job description.Our library has created a whole school reading culture.Reading not just as a base skill but as a choice andall research shows this is essential to life choices. Webelieve this raising of literacy levels over the last 12

years has underpinned our steadily rising exam results.

Acquiring staff of the right calibre is essential. Theyneed to share the Senior Leadership Teams vision forthe school. They should contribute to the developmentof the schools teaching and learning repertoire bybeing a reader of educational research and bringingthose new ideas and ways of working to the table.Our postholder often makes critical contributions

to management thinking, takes a lead in deliveringstaff INSET, initiates and participates in creativecurriculum partnerships. They also need to look beyondthe immediate horizon and create both an onlineand community identity. Our librarian works closely


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with the local public library system and the networkof school libraries that exist in Lewisham. By doingso, opportunities are created for our students thatbring them into contact with other agencies in thecommunity and generate sufficient confidence so thatthey make use of other libraries throughout their lives.

This is a vital link for supporting students when theirschool life is finally over.

With proper leadership and engagement the libraryexperience stretches across a childs life in a way thatnothing else in school does through pre-transition,Years 7-11 and post 16. The library is there regardlessof administrative changes; quite simply there is nobodyelse that has that whole relationship with a child.

In recent years it has made the links with the worldof work so that students are meeting authors andexperiencing the publishing process. It provides allkinds of engagement with the production of literaturewhich is excellent. It is a space for celebration andparticipation where students get affirmation. We see itas a place of outreach, student voice and enrichment.

Partnerships are a strong theme of the librarysrole. It creates them with students, for instancethe Homework Club run with Teaching Assistantshelps dismantle barriers to learning for many. Weknow it works well and reaches all parts of ourcommunity because of the systematic evaluationprocesses employed. Relationships with teachers arepartnerships where they feel supported by the librarianin developing and delivering the work that needs to bedone to achieve effective teaching and learning. Ourlibrarys role goes beyond supporting effective teachingand learning. It is a little like the Tardis; it is muchbigger than its physical footprint. It reaches out andtakes us to the next level in critical thinking.

At the heart of our vision of adding value to childrenslives is a highly

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