School library re-opened after £5,000 refurbishment

Friends of Thomas A’Becket (FABS) funded the £5,000 refurbishment, which includes new shelving, a tree and improved seating.

Task Force members from year two attended the official opening yesterday and said their favourite part was the bean bags to sit on.

The pupils are all on the school council and will be helping to decide ways to use the tree, which is currently laden with favourite books written on leaves.

Mrs Jane Rice, English subject leader, said: “As well as having a brighter, fresher environment to visit, our lucky pupils can now enjoy using more facilities to reflect the changing literary environment that we live in today.

“We have netbooks for them to read, children’s magazines and newspapers.”

Assistant head teacher Polly Kitson said alterations were needed after changes to the age of transfer, which meant there were no longer any year-three children at the school.

“The shelves have been lowered and there are less books, which is actually better. It was very crowded before so there is more space and better seating.”

The opening was attended by Worthing mayor and mayoress Michael Donin and Linda Williams, Creature Teacher author Sam Watkins and FABS chairman Maryann Penfold.

Mrs Rice said it was thanks to the fantastic fundraising efforts of the parents group that they were able to design and furnish the library. It was installed by premises officer Marc Waldron, with help from parents and carers.

Mr Donin said: “The new library is fabulous and the children are very lucky.”

He said he always enjoyed adventure stories when he was a boy and asked the children what sort of stories they liked.

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