Some exciting changes have been made at Rydal Penrhos to make reading easier to access for senior school pupils.
Rydal Penrhos has always been keen to highlight the importance of reading to pupils young and old. This is a key component of their development not only from an academic standpoint, but a good book can also improve knowledge of current affairs, ignite curiosity and expand creative horizons.
These are also valuable skills that stand young people in enormously good stead throughout their education and in later life. Rydal Penrhos’ English department have been working exceptionally hard throughout the second educational lockdown alongside Pupil Liaison Officer Sarah James on devising a structure that makes reading more accessible to pupils ahead of their long-awaited return to school in the coming weeks once the Welsh Government relaxes restrictions surrounding COVID-19.
The development includes streamlining books across the senior school site, which were previously only found in the Learning Resource Centre.
Many titles are now located in the refurbished Watkinson Library – named after much-loved former Headmaster Peter Watkinson – for the primary use for those in Key Stage 3 and 4.
The Sixth Form Ferguson Centre also has its own books section for Years 12 and 13 to enjoy in-between their studies once they return in the coming weeks once restrictions are lifted.
This is the latest exciting development regarding Reading at Rydal Penrhos, with big changes being led by the school’s Head of Langauge, Literacy and Communications Fiona Earle with the approval of the school’s Senior Leadership Team.
Weekly reading updates from Miss Earle are found within Rydal Penrhos’ digital weekly newsletter, which provides useful insights on key online materials to ensure development can continue despite the current climate.
The Language, Literacy and Communications faculty’s recent “Reading for Pleasure, Progress and Personal Wellbeing” initiative has gone down extremely well with pupils across all age groups, which has further enhanced the ever-improving culture surrounding reading and its benefits to academic and personal development.
Good literacy levels and confidence in reading and comprehension are strongly connected to high attainment in school, a fact that does not go unrecognised by the excellent teaching staff at Rydal Penrhos, who are always looking at new innovative ways to achieve this.
The project also received a generous donation from the Rydal Penrhos Society, who contributed £5,000 in memory of Mr Watkinson for new books that arrived at the school on Wednesday 3 March.
Guy Watson, President of the Rydal Penrhos Society, said: “I am very pleased to report that at the most recent RP Society committee meeting it was agreed that the Society would donate this money plus an additional amount to the school, in total £5,000. This money will be put towards the purchase of books for the Accelerated Reading Scheme which will benefit pupils at both the Prep and Senior schools.
“It is good news to know that our Society is helping the current pupils at school in this very important area.”
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Anyone wishing to enquire about Rydal Penrhos School can do so by calling 01492 530155, email admissions@rydalpenrhos.com or register your interest online here: https://rydalpenrhos.com/admissions/apply-now.
