The Role of the School Library
Yesterday the All Party’s Parliamentary Group for Libraries
published a
report titled ‘The Beating Heart of the School’ which calls for a
good library in every school. With 1 in 6 adults in the UK struggling with
literacy skills, the APPG for Libraries chairman Lord Graham Cope CBE believes
that ‘that school libraries and librarians contribute an enormous amount to
educational attainment’ but he argues that ‘the case must be strengthened.’
The reports goes on to list the following four recommendations:
·
That annual data collected by the Department of
Education include the school library and its staff.
·
That an examination is held into the role school
libraries and librarians play in supporting student’s academic and personal
development.
·
That Ofsted inspections and reports includes an
inspection of school libraries.
·
That the Department of Education has a dedicated
member of staff acting as lead for libraries, who will support both teachers
and librarians.
I think the most striking aspect about this report for me is
the fact that libraries in schools are not a statutory requirement. Whilst I
may have thought this for Primary Schools as they tend to be smaller, I was
surprised that it was not a requirement for Secondary Schools, especially as
some also incorporate Sixth Forms, with students studying for their A Levels. It
was also surprising to learn that only 17% of the libraries surveyed have
enough computers/laptops for an average class. With so much focus being put on
ICT skills I thought that this statistic would be a lot higher. The sad reality
of budget freezes and cuts is also highlighted in the report, hinting at the
possibility that school libraries are undervalued within schools.
