William Allitt BBC School Report

 Refurbishment in the William Allitt Library

Students and staff at the William Allitt School are eagerly anticipating the refurbishment of the school library. The library, which hasn’t been refurbished for an estimated 15-20 years, has to act as a classroom on many occasions and therefore finds itself in frequent use- the school librarian, Mrs Collier, explained that requirements of the library had, inevitably, changed. She plans to prioritise mobile shelving as the allocated budget is significantly lower than would be preferred at £10,000. The budget is responsible for new carpeting, paint and furniture hence the separate money for new computers. When asked about other prospective new resources, Mrs Collier mentioned that as well as new computers the school are always purchasing new books and upgrading the library collection.

Mrs Collier confirmed that the plans had been constructed almost two years ago and explained that the budget had been insufficient for the needs of the library. She further hinted that the refurbishment had really just involved her and that this time around she hopes to include more of a student voice. Our survey results suggest that most pupils asked would prioritise soft furnishings over new books and computers. Series 1 represents what the students would prefer whilst series 2 shows how many pupils would be more likely to visit the library if their choice of features were to be implemented.

The same group of student inputted the data displayed in the pie chart concerning how often they visit the library. As is evident in the pie chart, more than 75% of students quizzed replied that they prefer to only visit the library in lessons; the common response being that they “have better things to do”. Mrs Collier also suggested that she is satisfied that the library is a sort of ‘safe haven’ away from large crowds. Some students have speculated, in their questionnaires, that the capacity if the library could be a hindrance to the prospective library visitors. Deputy Head, Mr Henshaw, said “at the moment it is very busy” referencing the current state of the library, he further expressed opinions of encouragement towards more students utilising the facilities and resources of the library.

Overall, students and staff alike are keenly awaiting the transformation of the William Allitt School library which should commence very shortly now that the funds have been acquired.

Written by Katie