ChronicleA U T U M N 2 0 0 9 - Kings' School

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Kings’ <strong>School</strong> Libr ‘LIBRARIES IN CRISIS!’ screams the headlines. ‘KIDS DON’T READ’, they tell us. But not here at Kings’ where we appear to be bucking the trend. Pop into our lively Library any lunchtime and you’ll find a hive of activity. Look over there in the corner, a girl and her friends, curled up on the bean bags, perusing the latest fashion magazines. And there, a group of boys, poring over the daily papers, checking the football results; as another pupil watches the breaking news on CNN played out on our 50” plasma screen. His friends nearby are comfortably seated round our conference-style table, finishing off some homework. The suite of up-to-the-minute computers is being used by a group of Year 10s to complete some coursework, whilst others make use of our excellent scanner and printer. And listen. What’s that you hear Not silence, by any means, but the happy hum of activity as our students make use of all the wonderful resources here in our well-stocked, busy Library. Our book stock of over 15 000 titles changes constantly, with termly updates in the fiction and non-fiction sections. Keeping up to date is what it’s all about! Topical information is always available on the internet, but sometimes it’s so much more pleasant to hold a book in your hands. To this end our Librarian ensures that books are displayed according to what’s going on in the world. During the Beijing Olympics, for instance, new books were purchased about the Olympics and also about Beijing and China in general. During Wimbledon, books about tennis will take pride of place. Our non-fiction stock supports the curriculum but also includes books for general interest reading; celebrities, sports, cookery and so many other expected and unexpected areas. LIBRARIANS The role of the pupil librarian is so popular here at Kings’ that we have a permanent waiting list of younger children anxious to join the ranks. Our Librarians assist with shelving, issuing, and the general tidiness and appearance of the Library. They are a happy and dedicated group who spend their lunchtimes in the Library, enjoying the company of our regulars whilst carrying out their duties with a smile. Many are drawn from the ranks of the Year 8s who act as judges in the Hampshire Book Award, and we are delighted that so many of our Librarians have gone on to become Prefects, Senior Prefects, House Captains and Heads or Deputy Heads in Year 11.
ary HAMPSHIRE BOOK AWARD The Hampshire Book Award is unique in that it is judged solely by Year 8 students at secondary schools across Hampshire. There is absolutely no adult intervention in the final decision-making. Each year our Librarian, Mrs Miles, invites a number of avid readers to become judges. They are required to read a shortlist of six recently published books from a wide range of genres. The twelve judges meet with Mrs Miles to discuss the books they are reading and finally decide on the one they felt was the best. The main judging day is always a huge event, held at the Discovery Centre in Winchester and greatly enjoyed by all concerned. Over the past couple of years our students have been fortunate to meet the winning authors when they attend the prizegiving function at Winchester Guild Hall. It was a huge thrill to meet Irish author Derek Landy, and the American author Rick Riordan, both of whom kept us in stitches with their amusing tales – and autographed copies of their books. HAMPSHIRE BIG READ When the Hampshire Big Read was launched it was a huge honour for us to be invited to attend the launch ceremony at the Gurkha Museum in Winchester. Kings’ school was selected from all the schools in Winchester and we took a large group of well-behaved, neatly turned out Year 7s to this prestigious event. The book chosen for the Big Read was Michael Morpurgo’s wonderful war-time tale, ‘Private Peaceful’. The pupils were able to meet and chat to a number of veterans from earlier conflicts, they met the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire and several other dignitaries, and were all given goodie bags including copies of ‘Private Peaceful’. VISITING AUTHORS, POETS AND PERFORMERS Mr Attwood and Mrs Miles are very keen to bring visiting authors into our school. We have had some marvellous and memorable visits and have several lined up for the remainder of the current academic year. Recent visitors have included the author Alan Durant, the poet Adisa, whose performance style is simply fabulous, and the novelist Alex Wheatle, who shortly after visiting Kings’ was awarded an OBE - though we can’t take credit for that! The poet and playwright, Olusola Oleyeloye paid us a visit and inspired us with her creative presentation, whilst Sarah Singleton, the author of popular Gothic fiction, encouraged students to write their own horror stories in her informative workshops. The Library team has developed an excellent relationship with the Children’s Discovery Centre in London, through whom links to a variety of authors are being forged. Music Department - Recording Studio The Music Department is proud to house a brand new recording studio, which enables students to create professional recordings using a 24-channel multitrack recorder, connected to a PC with Cubase 5, Sibelius and Reason. Combined with the recent installation of 8 new PCs and three fixed data projectors into the department, ICT and Music Technology are becoming an integral part of both the KS3 and KS4 music curriculum. A corner of the largest music classroom, Mr Clarke’s Studio 2, was partitioned off during the summer holidays and made soundproof. This was then split into a control room and separate performance area. This also doubles up as another rehearsal space when the studio is not being used for recording. Equipped with a new digital piano, drum kit and enough space to record a medium-sized band, it is hoped to enable soloists and bands in all year groups to create their own recordings, and perhaps ultimately, their own album. The Music BTEC students, who are the first to take this brand new course at Kings’, have been the first students to try out the new facilities, as one of their units involves the creation of their own album. It is hoped that in the near future, the Music Department may also be able to offer a Music Technology course for pupils at KS4 (Years 10 and 11). On 19th October, Digital Village, the company who provided and installed the technical equipment, came to Kings’ to deliver a day’s training. Two pupils in year 10 – Chris Pott and Sam Sanders, and two pupils in year 11 – Charlie Haywood-Smith and Tom Wright, learnt how to create a professional recording. They will now be the department’s first “Music technicians”, and will soon be fulfiling their new roles when the year 11 pupils perform their next piece of coursework. The boys thoroughly enjoyed their day in the studio, and learnt a great deal in a short space of time. Well done to all of you! The Library at Kings’ is always lively, a place of fun, learning and choice. For relaxation, innovation, participation and inspiration, a visit to our happy Resource Centre is a must!
Page 1 and 2: Kings’ AUTUMN 2009 Chronicle IN T
Page 3 and 4: Kings’ School Open Evening and Op
Page 5: A day in the life... O F A S C I E
Page 10 and 11: Latin is alive and well at Kings’

ChronicleA U T U M N 2 0 0 9 - Kings' School

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