The John Fowles Library
Alleyn Court School has a rich literary heritage in that Theodore Wilcox was able to establish the school in 1904 as a result of being financially supported throughout his own education, by his cousin Charles Dodgson [Lewis Carroll]. Furthermore, the school counts amongst its famous alumni the novelist John Fowles, after whom our library is named.
The library has recently been completely renovated and reinvigorated into a bright, colourful and inviting environment. The classification system comprises a child-friendly colour-coded scheme with sections for non-fiction, Senior School fiction, Junior School and Pre Prep books. Versatile rainbow-coloured beanbag cubed seating and child-sized table and chairs can be arranged to accommodate whole-class sessions or individual reading requirements.
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The book stock is constantly updated. Each term we take delivery of a selection of books under the ‘Hooks into Books’ scheme. This is an exciting new initiative from Seven Stories - Britain's gallery and archive that celebrates the wonderful world of children’s books. We receive a mix of both the depth and breadth of our great British book heritage as well as what’s new and exciting in children’s literature. In addition, there is a selection of activities, helping to spark imaginations and promote reading for pleasure. These packs are designed to be an investment in the reading culture of the school, and to enable us to build a collection of high quality books that inspire and enthuse pupils and staff.
The library has a subscription to ‘First News’, the award-winning weekly newspaper for children aged 7-14. Produced in a traditional, full colour, tabloid newspaper format, First News opens children’s minds to the issues of today, informing, entertaining and stimulating them to take an active interest in the world around them.
Special events are a regular feature, for example:
- author visits
- story telling
- ‘Author of the Month’
- World Book Day
- Roald Dahl Day,
The ethos of our library is firmly based on the vision of Michael Rosen, Children's Laureate 2007 – 2009, that
“School libraries should be a focal point for a school. In a school library there should be the resources to support every aspect of school life: every project, books to support sport, dancing, art, music; and it should also be the place to go for stories and poems. It should be an unmissable, unavoidable place."
Author Visit Thursday 13th October
The entire school is still buzzing from the day spent with renowned Essex born author Sue Hampton. Michael Morpurgo may be Sue’s most famous fan, but she has gained a couple of hundred more as a result of the compelling and captivating assembly and workshops she led for pupils in years 1 – 6. These sessions not only built on the reading and writing skills taught by our own staff, but were inspirational in motivating the children’s imagination, suggesting ideas and techniques they can use to stimulate their creativity. By the end of the day many children left the school proudly clutching copies of Sue’s books personally signed by the author herself!
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Sports' Field
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Art Room
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Dining Room
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Adventure Trail
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Sports Hall
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Junior Classrooms
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ICT
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Science Laboratory
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New sports pavilion and changing rooms.
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Interactive Whiteboards
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