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March 2025

School Library Service

Centre news for March

Overdue topic books We recently sent out lists of overdue topic books and would appreciate it if these could be returned to us at the end of term at the same time as your Spring term returns. These will be collected from 24 March and an email will be sent shortly detailing your scheduled collection date.  Please have your boxes ready in reception.

Carnegie awards 2025 

We are running our popular Carnegie Celebration Event again this year and will be joined by 2024 winner of the Carnegie Shadowers' Choice Medal for Writing, author Tia Fisher.

The Carnegie shortlist will be announced on 11 March, with shadowing activities starting on the 12 March.

Find more information and booking details by clicking the link Carnegie Celebration Event.

Challenging reads

The Challenging reads list has been updated with a fantastic collection of 30 brilliant books for the most able readers in year 6.

World book day - competition

'Design a Mug' competition - Winners! Thank you for all your fantastic entries for this year's WBD competition, it made judging incredibly difficult as they were all so creative.  Congratulations to Caen Primary, Whimple Primary, Trinity CofE Primary and Braunton Academy, who submitted the winning designs in their category. Winners and their designs are displayed on our website.

New!! Suggested reads lists

Our Suggested reading lists for 2025/26 have now been updated. The School Library Advisers have chosen the best reads for each year group from Nursery through to KS4. Lists by year group can be found on our webpage, or just click below.

EmpathyLab booklist

EmpathyLab #ReadforEmpathy book collection 2025. Each title in the collection has been chosen by a panel of judges to do a specific empathy-building job. The list has been created as a practical tool to help young people learn more about empathy and put it into action, giving adults the resources they need to raise an empathy-educated generation. Please use the button below for Primary & Secondary booklists.

Library network meeting dates for Spring term

Our library network meetings are free of charge!!. They are led by the SLS advisory team and are a source of up-to-date information, the sharing of ideas and good practice. Secondary Wednesday 19 March at Kingsley School, Bideford Thursday 20 March at Colyton Grammar School Focus: Non-fiction collections in the Secondary Library All meetings begin at 1.30pm, book your place now.

What you have to say about us

"Thank you once again for all your support.  The children were very enthusiastic about choosing a new book yesterday afternoon.  My class thoroughly enjoyed listening to you too and several of them wanted to choose a new book before they went home yesterday."

And for non-subscribing schools ...

You don't need to be a subscriber to benefit from many of our fantastic services.  Visit our website for a wealth of ideas and inspiration to make your library a welcoming and engaging space for children to embrace their love of reading.

• 25% off RRP on book purchases
• book a personalised library adviser visit
• attend our insightful network meetings
• access to a variety of book lists
• topic boxes available on a 'Pay As You Use' basis