THERE was excitement at Wellington Lions Primary in Tidworth on Thursday as it officially opened their brand-new library with the help of author Virginia McLean.

Virginia visited the school for the day to cut the ribbon and ran a number of inspiring workshops about why it’s so good to be a curious child.

Over the past few months staff have worked hard to develop the library to provide each child with an individualised and interactive reading experience. With Wellington Eagles Primary officially launching their library next week, the academies are embarking on ‘Star Tests’ which will identify a great range of books for individual reading.

English lead, Joanna Popperwell, said: “This is a really exciting milestone for the Wellington Primary Academies in their journey to put reading at the heart of learning and promote curiosity and fulfilment through reading a range of fiction and non-fiction titles matched to their reading level.

SEE ALSO: Wellington Lions singing club tunes up once again

The ribbon was officially cut by children’s author Virginia McLean, with headteacher Mr Jake Bailey and pupils Jenson and Isabelle watching on.

Mr Bailey welcomed the new reading venture. He said: “The books within the library are levelled and have quizzes to take at the end, so children can read with purpose and celebrate both their decoding and comprehension skills.

“The books can also be shared at home and quizzes can be taken online. The programme encourages pupils to read independently and more importantly at their own pace and level.”

Asked how she felt about being invited to open the library, Virginia said: “I feel excited and extremely proud for them to have chosen my book.”

Having written ‘Journey to the beginning of the World’ for her young daughter, Virginia added: “It’s just about encouraging kids to ask questions, that it’s good to be curious and if you look in the book, books are the heroes of the story.”

Message from the editor

Thank you for reading this story. We really appreciate your support.

Please help us to continue bringing you all the trusted news from your area by sharing this story or by following our Facebook page.