The Jarrow Learning Resource Centre is a multimedia centre working to support and enhance learning, teaching, spiritual growth, Christian and personal formation.

Aims:

-  To support the teaching of the whole curriculum for all students at all times, throughout the school day
-  To encourage the development of independent learning and the acquisition of information retrieval skills among students
-  To provide a stimulating learning environment with resources that meet the students’ academic, social and recreational needs
-  To provide facilities for the use of audio-visual materials and enhance the integration of ICT across the curriculum

Open daily from 8:45 am - 3:45pm, including break and lunchtimes.

Homework Club on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:40pm – 4:40pm.

Name and contact details of Staff:

Mrs E Rademeyer, Resource Centre Manager, erademeyer@stbedes.cambs.sch.uk

Available Facilities:

- A computerised catalogue of the Centre’s 12 000 print resources
- Eleven networked computers for curriculum use with filtered Internet access
- A black-and-white laser printer and a colour laser printer offering limited colour copying facilities
- Audiovisual and multimedia materials, including educational DVD's and audio books on CD
- A photocopier for staff and student use
- A Careers section
- A magazine section for leisure reading
- A reference collection for research, which includes encyclopedias, dictionaries and maps
- Daily Newspaper

Other Activities:
Once a week, the Paired Reading programme takes place in the Resource Centre. Each Year 7 student selected for the programme is paired with a Year 10 student, to receive encouragement and practice in reading during a 20-minute session.

During the spring term, Year 7 students are encouraged to join a reading group which shadows the Red House Children’s Book Award, the only UK book award judged by students themselves.

The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded annually to the writer of an outstanding book for children. The announcement, each April, of the shortlisted books begins weeks of intensive reading and lively discussion for students in Years 9 and 10. The members of this reading group are encouraged to read all the shortlisted novels, and judge each book by criteria that include plot, characterisation and writing style.
The Carnegie Shadowing ends with a day of celebration and discussion with students from several other schools. This is what two of our students said about the experience this year:

“Not all agreed with the judges’ verdict ..... but some delicious cake and good company softened the blow!”

“I really enjoyed the Carnegie Shadowing day. I made some friends and we had a good time.”