Author Archives: Mrs Kindness

Holyrood Secondary – Reading Schools Gold Award

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Holyrood Secondary has achieved Reading Schools Gold Accreditation. What a fantastic journey we’ve had!

Well done to every single young person, member of staff and parent who has been involved in promoting and celebrating reading. Thank you to our partners in the community : Glasgow Zine Library, and Govanhill Library. Huge thanks to Scottish Book Trust for supporting us on this journey, and providing the framework enabling us to mark off all our achievements while having fun with reading.

We’ve had many adventures such as Chapter Chats Book Group and Podcast, Zine Making Workshops, coffee mornings, whole school Read Around the World, author visits, Poetry at Hampden Bowling Club, and boundless energy and ideas from pupil helpers and Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers who have championed reading throughout. At the heart of it all has been enjoying and celebrating reading and getting the right book into the right hands of our wonderful keen readers. We’ve been reading in the library, in classrooms, in the fuel zone, in the playground, at home, on holiday. Books can be enjoyed everywhere, anytime.

The Reading Schools programme, developed by Scottish Book Trust, is an accreditation programme for schools that are committed to building a reading culture for their learners and communities. The programme supports schools to build a reading culture, where every pupil is encouraged to feed their imagination through books. There are three levels of accreditation – Core, Silver and Gold. Reading Schools – Scottish Book Trust

We’ve had an amazing time, and can heartily recommend Reading Schools to anyone who wants to celebrate reading, with plenty of help on hand from Scottish Book Trust.

Holyrood Library : Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers

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Our Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers have been doing fantastic work, promoting books and reading, creating book displays, organising fun activities, along with regular admin tasks like adding books to stock.

Milly in S3 has always been an avid reader.

Milly Recommends:

“Percy Jackson is a fantasy book based on Greek mythology. It’s a story about a boy who discovered he is a demigod (half god and half human) he gets sent to this camp for demigods where he finds out that monsters are after demigods, He gets sent out on a dangerous quest. These books are in a series of 5 AND the new tv series just came out on Disney +. If you enjoyed the descriptions, then I have donated 4/5 of the books to the library.”

New copies!

Now on Disney+

“Reading has dramatically changed my way of writing in English, I can see the difference in my writing for over the years from when I started reading. It’s also a very fun way to pass time with the right book” Milly

Celeste – helping the school community

Celeste is now in her second year of volunteering, on course for the Silver Award. She has previously created a whole new Music Section in the library, added new stock into the catalogue, and tidied and squared up the layout of the library after a busy day of classes. A highlight was assisting the Scottish Ambulance Service every week, by helping them with their equipment for the Saving Young Lives workshops. This was a huge task, and usually involved several trips up and down the lift with precious cargo of equipment. Paramedics Sharon and Frank were so impressed by Celeste’s commitment and reliability.

Amna – supporting young learners

For her Bronze Award, Amna developed skills in supporting and encouraging S1/2 library users, who often enjoyed the fun quizzes and activities she devised. This term for Silver Award, Amna came up with the idea of creating an inter-active Animal book display, with paw prints to colour in. Animals are very popular with S1, and Mr Mansefield’s class used the book display to help with research for a class project. Fun and educational !

Animal books, with paw prints

Zurie – Creative Writer and book lover

As a published author herself – with the White Water Writers’ Group – Zurie has plenty of knowledge of what makes a good book. During her volunteering time she has created book displays, and helped to keep the library catalogue up to date by adding new books, deleting old titles, and choosing books to be purchased for our Dystopian book display.

What to Read for New Year book display

Chosen by Us (S4 Writers Group), Dystopian

Filza – graphics and design specialist

Continuing onto Silver, after completing Bronze, Filza uses her design skills to make posters and whiteboard signs for special events such as Book Week Scotland, Earth Day, and the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Ceremony in December 2025. Her posters always add style to our library events.

 

Chapter Chats Podcast

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At Holyrood, our Chapter Chats Book Group is attempting a Podcast! This is part of our Reading Schools journey. We’re all very excited, and we’ve had lots of help and support from all round the school. Mrs. Panaretou from the Music Dept. has shown us how to use Garage Band and lent us special recording equipment. Bilal in S6 is our sound engineer.

Setting up for recording

Chapter Chats was set up in 2023, as a book group “for all Busy Bookers in Holyrood, to openly recommend and rant about what you are reading”. We love doing this! We have 9 regular members, and we’ve met for special recording sessions 3 times – in September/ October.

Mr. McGrath and Bilal have hosted the podcasts. We could talk about books all day, so we’ve tried various things to keep on track, such as Quick Fire questions. It’s been so much fun, and we’ve learned lots about each other’s favourite books, and new genres to try.

Some of our Podcast crew

Our Book Group founder members, now in S5

Our next step is working out how to publish our Podcast. We’re looking at various options, and also looking at good practice from other schools throughout Scotland. Our Podcast will be available soon.

Ms Kindness

Holyrood Update – 100 Book Challenge

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Well done to all new S1 pupils at Holyrood for showing amazing enthusiasm for reading.

Ms Kaya’s class , 1D, deserves special mention. They have set an ambitious target : – to read 100 books before the Christmas holidays! This class has an excellent work ethic, and enjoyed their visit to the school library on Thursday, with everyone either borrowing a book (or several books), reading quietly, chatting about books, and creating mini-booklets for the ‘Cosy Autumn Reads’ book display.

1D with their excellent book choices

Autumn mini-books

Reading for pleasure and personal choice is very important to this discerning group of readers. Titles borrowed include Naruto, Avatar, Dog Man, and Bunny vs Monkey, as manga and graphic novels are extremely popular. Some keen readers brought in their own copies of the incredibly popular ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ trilogy. Fact books are also a hit, including first aid, animals, famous footballers and Islamic art.

This class is bound to meet their target very soon. Good luck with your reading, and thank you Ms Kaya and 1D for such an enjoyable library period. Come back soon 🙂

Ms Kindness

Holyrood Library, Spring Update

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March has been an exciting month in the Library, with celebrations for World Book Day, International Women’s Day, Ramadan, and World Poetry Day.

For World Book Day, we welcomed author Victoria Williamson for a brilliant workshop on ‘War of the Wind’. S2 pupils discussed the book, practised some BSL fingerspelling, had a wind-walker race, and cracked some codes using ciphers. Victoria’s books are extremely popular, and her visit sparked even more excitement around which title to read next. Well done 2L and 2M, and huge thanks to Victoria, and Scottish Book Trust – Live Live Literature funding – for making this possible. We also held a Coffee Morning, Book Swap, Scavenger Hunt and S1/S2 Read Around the World challenge, so the fun lasted for most of the month.

S2 enjoying workshop with Victoria Williamson

International Women’s Day, Biographies display

The Duke of Edinburgh volunteers created a book display of biographies for International Women’s Day featuring : Sabrina Cohen-Hatton (fire-fighter and homelessness campaigner), Indra Nooyi (former CEO of PepsiCola), Malala Yousafzai and Taylor Swift.

 

 

Our Book Group members were happy to see International Women’s Day, and Ramadan falling on the same month – he perfect opportunity to chat about our favourite female Muslim authors. These include Zanib Mian, Hafsah Faizal, Intisar Khanani, and Tahereh Mafi. We found out some fun facts, and looked at what inspires these fantastic authors.

Celebrating Muslim authors

  • Zanib Mian wrote the ‘Planet Omar’ books because she wanted to see more funny books for children about an everyday Muslim family. She also launched her own publishing company with a commitment to publishing inclusive books.
  • Iranian- American author Tahereh Mafi –  best known for the Book-Tok sensation ‘Shatter Me’ series – has now sold over 10 million copies.

 

 

Our Book Group is always a welcome space to chill out and share some quiet time together at the end of the week. For World Poetry Day, we watched a poetry video from Nadine Aisha Jassat  ‘Prayer and Breath’

Nadine’s poem ‘Breath and Prayer’

This was so relaxing, we loved the calmness of Nadine walking through Glasgow Womens’ Library, and also the nature imagery. Imaan and Fatima were inspired to write their own nature poetry.

The Librarian is listening to : My Dear Kabul (BBC Sounds)

While we are encouraged to read books and enjoy creative writing in Glasgow schools, it’s important to remember that women in other countries are often denied basic human rights such as education and freedom to express themselves or even to leave the house. ‘My Dear Kabul’, tells the story of Women Writers who risk everything after the Taliban invade Kabul, using a WhatsApp group to keep in touch, as every book and piece of writing they own has been destroyed. Available on BBC Sounds.

 

Holyrood Library Round-up

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Spring is fast approaching. Time for a quick round-up of what we’ve achieved so far this year.

In January, library activities focused on the Sustainability Team’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle campaign. First up was our pop-up Eco Library in the fuel zone. We like to make books accessible to everyone, so even if you can’t make it to the library – the library will come to you! Library Helpers made a fantastic effort to transport this brilliant selection of books to the fuel zone, and a lunchtime of browsing and borrowing was enjoyed by many.

Next up was our extra special Book Swap, rounding off January in style.

The aim of these two events was to encourage everyone to borrow and recycle books instead of buying. It’s an absolute pleasure to be part of the school’s programme of Eco- events, led by the Sustainability Team & Miss O’Donnell. Holyrood has just been awarded a second Eco-Schools Green Flag, a fantastic achievement by all.

‘Book Valentine’ display, by Hajrah, Hania & Umme

 

In February, we got romantic, with a Who Will Be Your BOOK Valentine? event. Nominations for favourite books included : Twisted Love, Diary of a CEO (which Umme has just finished reading – great choice), Harry Potter, Timmy Failure, Dear Evan Hansen, and A Girl Called Owl. Well done to our Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers for organising this.

 

 

Date or no date on Valentine’s Day? It doesn’t matter – you’re never alone in the Library : “No matter what happens this week; No matter what you see or feel or think or do: I want you to know that in this World – you will always be loved” (exerpt of poem by Ana, S5).

The librarian is reading :

Does public speaking send you into a frenzy of worry? Stay cool, calm, and collected with ‘How to Talk so People Will Listen’ by Lizzie Waterworth, and remember – we’re all rooting for you and want you to succeed.

Happy reading, and have a fantastic World Book Day on 6th March!

Ms Kindness

New Books at Holyrood Library

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We’re off to a great start in 2025, with a treasure trove of new books to enjoy, and expert helpers on hand to sort through deliveries, and create beautiful book displays.

Thanks to Angel and Zurie from the S3 Writers’ Group, who selected their favourite Young Adult novels, focusing on diversity and Inclusion  (complete with Christmassy tinsel)!

Recommended By Us, Diverse & Inclusive fiction

They labelled the books with a ‘Recommended by Us’ slip, as this works well in bookshops, and we like to guide readers to choose books that they will love.

 

 

 

 

Recipes from around the World

 

 

We also have a fantastic selection of cookery books featuring recipes from around the World, reflecting the wonderful multiculturalism of Holyrood. Two favourites are A World of Flavour and Recipes for Change

 

Volunteering at Holyrood Library, December Update 

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Our Library Volunteers have been working hard on some great projects to brighten these dark, Winter months. 

Reader of the Month notice board

Rand and Tafsirr created a Reader of the Month noticeboard, to recognise enjoyment and effort in reading.

This month’s award winners – Balint (S2), Egbert (S1) & Melissa (S3), will each receive a book of their choice from the book vending machine.  

 

Book Swap here!

Thanks to Filza, Gia and Izza who created this beautiful giant sign for our Book Swap table during Book Week Scotland. They used the lighthouse logo to represent ‘Hope’ and added their own style and flourish. The Book Swap was a great success. 

 

 

Book swapping at interval

Enjoying books together at the Coffee morning

Our Staff Coffee Morning was a hoot (thanks to Ms Ford for bringing Hedwig along), and S3 Volunteers helped serve refreshments, and gave out copies of ‘Hope’ kindly gifted by the Scottish Book Trust. There was plenty of great chat between staff and young people, who love sharing book recommendations together .

 

S4 Volunteer Lucy, working at the issue desk

Our 14 Volunteers, ranging from S3 – S6 have a lot of fun, but there’s also a goal to achieve, which is completing their Duke of Edinburgh Award at either Bronze or Silver level; or for S6 – their Caritas or Leadership Award.

 

 

 

Like all school librarians, I’m always proud to support our young people with their volunteering, and see this is a key aspect of our School Library Service, offering  “a wide range of interesting and fun volunteering experiences that help others develop new skills and make new friends”. A Vision for Glasgow Life Libraries, April 2023

Our October Volunteers’ Survey asked –  What is your favourite thing about volunteering?

“Meeting new people and becoming friends. The Library is a really inviting space and the people I’ve met are all amazing.” (S3 Volunteer)

“I really enjoyed the creative tasks like wrapping a gift and putting up the posters. But also the less creative tasks like taking record of newly ordered books so all in all I’ve enjoyed pretty much everything!” (S6 Volunteer)

In the survey, our young people agreed that they had achieved some, or all of the following outcomes through volunteering :

1. Of benefit to the school community 2. Teamwork 3. Helping other people 4. Learning new skills 5. Good for my mental health 6. Good for my confidence

 We’ll have more projects and book recommendations to share in 2025. Happy Reading!

October @ Holyrood Library

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We’ve had a busy month so far, with plenty to celebrate in the Library.

October is Black History Month, so our S3 Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers -Tafsirr, Rand and Lauren created this fantastic book  display. 

They wanted to highlight books that were joyful and celebratory, so included biographies of famous actors, sportspeople, scientists, musicians and World leaders. And some history books, celebrating art and culture, but also remembering the sad and unjust parts of Black history in a respectful way.

 

In Holyrood, we feel that it’s very important to provide diverse and anti-racist books.  So in a survey, when asked what they would like to see in the library, our Senior pupils made these suggestions :

  • A section focused on highlighting ethic minorities like biographies or books on cooking
  • More books in different languages, and also books to encourage people to learn more about other cultures
  • Scottish brown and black boys/girls everyday experiences
  • Maybe more history books on Scotland’s involvement in the slave trade.

Some of the books purchased so far:

 

Higher ESOL requests

Our readers are passionate about seeing voices of all different nationalities and cultures represented on the library shelves. Mrs Cooper’s Higher ESOL class asked for a selection of books by black authors for the classroom. Here are some of the authors they are currently enjoying: Malorie Blackman, Jumata Emill, Sharon Flake, Danielle Jawando, Shade Lapite, Jason Reynolds, Efua Traore, Alex Wheatle.

And we often like to discuss favourite authors and poets in our library Teams chat. We thought these words were very inspiring: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive: and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style”. Maya Angelou

At the start of October, we also celebrated Dyslexia Awareness Week with a pupil-led outreach library in the Fuel zone.

This showcased the books we have available in a dyslexia friendly format; and Mr. Lang provided a Quiz about famous people.  We also had a Design Your Own Superpower competition, to show that all skills and talents are valued, such as super strength, invisibility, telekinesis, talking to animals, being kind, helping one another, and putting your rubbish in the bin. So many skills – what a talented bunch!

Well done everyone

Miss Kindness