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Schools Library Service

Supporting teaching, empowering learning and inspiring young readers in Nursery, Primary, Special, Secondary and Academy schools.

Supports curriculum needs and love of wider reading

  • Age-appropriate fiction and non-fiction books to support the curriculum
  • Borrow artefact boxes with dressing-up clothes, bringing subjects to life
  • Online resources to support homework

Supports teaching staff

  • Signposting teachers to new authors and the best fiction for children and young people currently available
  • Advice and guidance on encouraging and developing a love of reading

Supports your school library and/or classroom collections

  • Free one-hour consultation with advice and guidance around books, reading and the school library
  • Advice on setting up a management system for your library with discounts available on software
  • Discount on buying books for your school library when you purchase through us

St Helens Schools Library Service gives you so much more!

  • Bring your class to one of our public libraries. We offer an exciting package of class visits to support national curriculum topics and promote a love of reading
  • Take part in BASH (Book Awards St Helens) and your children can choose the next BASH winner with workshops and author visits
  • Support for your Book Weeks with storytelling sessions either in school or in your nearest library
  • Opportunity to volunteer in libraries and participate in the Arts Award
  • Authors love visiting St Helens Libraries; look out for our emails promoting our next author event
  • Order our unique BLUSH boxes suitable for EYFS, KS1 and KS2, supporting language comprehension and development.

Don't miss out on this superb offer!

For further information, please contact:

Schools Library Service
Park Road Centre
Park Road
St Helens
WA9 1HE

Tel: 01744 677806
Fax: 01744 677807
Email: libraryservicesschools@sthelens.gov.uk

We are open Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, including school holidays.

BASH (Book Awards St Helens) is the annual book award scheme run by St Helens Schools Library Service, where children and young people are encouraged to read the latest, modern and enticing fiction, written specially for them. Through a series of library based workshops, and by debate and critical appreciation, the pupils vote for their favourite book and choose a winner.

Each year there is a special BASH celebration event at a Library, when the winning title is announced by a prominent children’s author. Previous BASH authors coming to St Helens include Marcus Sedgewick, Paula Rawsthorne, Guy Bass, Ed Hogan, plus (via video link) David Walliams! This is a fantastic opportunity for children and young people to meet some of their favourite authors, helping them develop a love of reading.

BASH for little ones aged 5+

  • To encourage reading for pleasure
  • To develop and support language, literacy and communication skills
  • To demonstrate how books can be engaging and fun for young children
  • To encourage use of school and public libraries
  • Involving children in decision-making – children will select a winner from a shortlist.

BASH for children aged 9+

  • To encourage reading for pleasure by introducing a variety of current children’s fiction
  • To develop the habit of reading widely
  • To enthuse children in the enjoyment of reading
  • To encourage use of school and public libraries
  • Involving children in decision-making – children will select a winner from a shortlist.

BASH for young people aged 11+

  • To encourage reading for pleasure
  • To encourage debate and critical appreciation of stories
  • To encourage use of school libraries and public libraries
  • Involving young people in decision-making – they will choose the shortlist and select a winner
  • Encourage cross-school interaction and collaboration.

BASH Logo

For more information please contact the Schools Library Service on 01744 677806.

BLUSH is a partnership between Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, St Helens Paediatric Speech and Language Team and St Helens Libraries' Schools Library Service, offering high-quality reading resources to support speech, language and literacy development in your school.

Special BLUSH boxes can be ordered from the Schools Library Service that contain superb, high-quality books ready for teaching staff to use with pupils. Some of the books come with prepared BLANK language questions; other books in the box will enable your teaching staff to consolidate the skills learnt at the training by devising their own set of questions.

BLUSH boxes contain examples of the best books around today, written to engage the child (and adult) in the wonderful world of reading.

BLUSH Books and Language Unite St Helens logo

For more information, please contact the Schools Library Service on 01744 677806.