Library News
Sora Recommended Reads Opening Times Careers Corner Books of the Week
We are all enjoying the sunshine currently but do be aware we continue to be a place to relax during social time - it's lovely to relax in the sun, but if you want a cool place to read or catch up on study we are open!
We are welcoming Year 7 this week. Students have an opportunity to work on creative or informative activities all centred on their reading and their awareness of books. Plus, of course, the chance to 'Roam and Read' - the regular library lessons ensure students always have the opportunity to have a look around the library and be aware of new options we have got in. This built in curriculum time means we want to see you reading and enjoying our library!
COMPETITIONS
Ahead of the holidays we announced the Design a Book Token competition results that were finally decided after the WBD connected challenge . We were so impressed with the creative and imaginative responses that deciding was not easy. Well done to all the students who participated.
Winner £10 voucher – Belle L
Runners Up £5 vouchers – Vera S, Safiyyah H, Dex G, Natalie N
Easter Eggs – Annabel R, Sophie C, Chloe B
Here are the selection of designs from the winner and the four runners up:
World Book Day
Winners of the Decorate Your Doors House Competition - it took so long because deciding was so difficult! We eventually had to force ourselves to pick one door per House and these are the winners! But a massive well done to every tutor group for taking part and puttting in the effort - such creativity and such great ideas.We've included a collage of just a few of those amazing efforts also.
What a great day we had during World Book Day on Thursday 6th March. We had a range of activities which included several competitions to appeal to both the creative minded and the fun element. It was entertaining to see many students searching around school for staff wearing badges with a missing word from book titles, and the effort that went into decorating tutor group doors using the theme of a chosen book is so very impressive. A huge well done to all of you who have joined in in some way. We hope you all also enjoyed the extracts read out during lessons to give you a taster of some of our library books and, of course, the staff efforts with their costumes. The aim was a fun day with that sense of reading behind it - we hope you felt that.
Hampshire Book Award 2025
This was launched in the library and we are delighted that so many Year 8 students want to be on board. The students gathered at lunchtime to enjoy some refreshments and to find out which 6 books had made the shortlist. After some activities to get them focused on the books, they made their first choice and will now start to enjoy the reading. We look forward to our forthcoming meetings where we share our thoughts and opinions on the books - always a little difficult when we first begin as we don't want to reveal any spoilers, but everyone is keen to read and consider the three Es: Enjoyment, Enrichment and Engagement.Well done to the students who have signed up and we are so pleased to see your enthusiasm for these books and reading.
We held a first meeting to chat about the books just ahead of the break. Already many of the Year 8 students have read several of the books and we keen to share their thoughts about them so far. We have to tread carefully at this stage so we don't reveal too much to students who have not got to those books yet, but it was great to get some insight and their feelings about the books at this early stage. Books have, of course, been borrowed over the Easter break and we will meet again soon on our return.
Blind Date with a Book
Inspired by Valentine's Day but actually relevant at any time, we have our display ready to encourage students to not judge a book by its cover. Each book has been wrapped up with some details on the front - it's up to students to consider the details to decide if they are well matched with the book and give it a chance. Thank you to our wonderful Book Club students who selected many of the options and wrote the enticing summaries for the front of the books.
Scholastic Book Fair
We had another tremendously successful Book Fair back in December 2024 to coincide with the fast apporaching Christmas festivities - and that's all down to you. The students and parents who visited and bought books have made such a difference as we earn rewards from Scholastic in new books for our library. This year, you all bought over a £1000 worth of books which now means £550 in book rewards - this is just fantastic as it means you, the students, get to choose lots of new books for the library.
New books have already been ordered and we are constantly continuing to develop our range of books so that student requests are heeded. Do pop in and share ideas as to what you would like the libary to buy in.
Thank you for all your support and we are delighted that there was so much interest which means so much more reading for pleasure.
Meet the Author - Hampshire Book Awards
After our successful hosting of the voting day for the Hampshire Book Awards back in July 2024, we had another brilliant time hosting the outcome of the vote when Rachel Delahaye, author of the winning novel 'Electric Life' visited us in October.
We were able to extend this event so that we also included 60 of our top readers in Year 8 - a reward for their efforts with reading and their impressive book borrowing rates. We also, of course, had a hard working readers from the HBA last year who are now year 9 students.
Students met and chatted with Rachel and we all enjoyed a thought-provoking presentation on the power of technology and how it had inspired the winning novel. During the question session our students were fantastic – so much engagement and additionally so many great suggestions to Rachel as to the direction of the sequel! A great way to focus on reading for pleasure.
Well done to all our students for their excellent conduct and their enthusiasm, and we look forward to launching the HBA in March with now a multitude of keen Year 8 students to voice their views on the next selection of books.
Are you looking for a convenient and user-friendly way to access a vast collection of age-appropriate books from the comfort of your home or school? Look no further than Sora, the virtual library app!
As a Calthorpe Park School student, you have free access to this fab app, which can be easily downloaded and accessed on any device. Whether you're at home or in school, Sora provides an extensive collection of books, audiobooks, and graphic novels for readers of all ages and interests.
Sora's user-friendly interface makes browsing and searching for books a breeze, with various filters and categories to help you find your next favourite read. There is also the opportunity to alter to a dyslexic friendly font and light/ dark contrast to support reading. With Sora, reading has never been easier, more convenient, or more enjoyable. Download the app today and experience the joy of reading making use of a whole range of options. Take a look, explore the books!
Setting Up
Download the Sora app from Apple App Store or Google Play. If you are using a browser navigate to soraapp.com.
Enter the setup code: hampshiresls
Find your school in the dropdown list.
The login details for the school/individual pupil are below.
Username (Enter your school’s username)
Password (Enter your school’s password)
Browse the Explore tab to find and borrow a book.
Our Recommended Reading lists have been updated for the Spring term. These are shared with students in years 7-9 and additionally at KS4 via homework and Edulink, and posters will be displayed in the English classrooms. Some of our book displays in the library are also currently focused on them. The books have been selected to complement some of the texts used within the English curriculum and to also provide the possibility for students to expand horizons in choices made for reading. Whilst the lists provided are only suggestions, they do provide a place for students to start and there are some great options on the lists! If you wish to know more about each book, check out edulink for the full slides which provides firther information.
Games such as Chess, Uno and card games will now be available to play on three days of the week again - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, whilst a focus on reading and a place to study is the library's role on Monday and Fridays. We save two lunchtimes for reading, homework and mindfulness activities to ensure we have enough space for students to enjoy it as a quiet, comfortable space. It is important for the library to offer that haven to you all so that you know you have a place where you can study and read, and enjoy your downtime.
Check out the schedule below to get a clear picture on our opening times. We are here not only at break and lunchtime but also before and after school.
Opening Times:
- Before school from 8.30 am. However, it is often open from 8.20 am
- During breaktime and lunchtime
- After school until 3.30 pm. Longer availability is an option.
- Year 7 and 8 Book Club runs on a Tuesday after school until 4 pm
- Chess club runs on a Wednesday until 4.15pm
- Games Club runs on a Friday until 4.30 pm
The Library is here to be a calm place for students. If students prefer a little louder lunchtime and a place to go, 'Chill and Chat' is held in A2 on Mondays and Friday, and you may borrow games from us to take along - don't forget to bring them back!
Board games are available for students on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at lunchtimes only. Sometimes a limit on the amount of tables being used for games will be put into place to ensure there is still space for students wishing to use the library for reading and homework.
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Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
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Reading, alongside mindfulness activities/ homework & revision. Board games unavailable |
Reading, alongside mindfulness activities/ homework & revision and quiet board games |
Reading, homework & revision, with mindfulness activities also available and quiet board games |
Reading, homework & revision, with mindfulness activities also available and quiet board games |
Reading, alongside mindfulness activities/ homework & revision. Board games unavailable |
An important note: students from Year 8 – Year 11, you do need to being back overdue books ahead of borrowing this year. There are still too many books that have settled into homes that need to be returned for other students to enjoy, so have a good look around and pop them back to me, either at the desk in the library or the cupboard just outside the door.
This area of the library is always available for students to help and support as they consider what and where they may wish to study in the future, along with possible career ideas.We have various leaflets and prospectuses, not simply for the older students but for all years. In addition, there are a number of books based on careers and developing one’s potential.If students need any guidance or simply a hard copy of online information from the colleges, then they can come along to the Library. We have increased our selection of books geared towards specific types of careers and added them to this section of the library too. Mrs Wayman will direct you here and would also like you to know that these leaflets and prospectuses are available for you to also take home.
Books of the Week: Yet more new books on offer this week!
The Last Bookstore on Earth
As the end of the world approaches, is there time for one final love story?
It’s been a year since a devastating storm ripped Liz’s world apart. Haunted by the memories of those she couldn’t save, Liz holes up in the only place she felt safe before her world fell away: the bookstore where she used to work. Now she spends her days trading books for supplies and collecting stories from the remaining survivors who pass by. Until she learns that another earth-shattering storm is coming . . . and everything changes.
Enter Maeve, a spiky out-of-towner who breaks into the bookstore looking for shelter one night. When Maeve’s secrets and Liz’s inner demons come back to haunt them both, they find themselves fighting for their lives and asking themselves one big question.
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Holly Jackson returns with a blisteringly good standalone thriller
18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished, and young Bel was the only witness. Rachel is gone, presumed dead.
The case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel can’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. But then Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again …