A PRIMARY school that has underwent changes last year is celebrating as it opens a new library.

Minerva Primary School, Outer Circle, formally Halcon Primary School, joined the Redstart Learning Partnership last year, and has since seen changes to leadership, a major refurbishment, and a new name and uniform.

The school is now marking the next step in its improvement as it opens its new library.

Ally Kennen, a Somerset-based children’s and teen author, visited the school alongside volunteer readers from the UK Hydrographic Office to officially open the new library on Monday, March 20.

Head of Minerva Primary, Carly Wilkins, said: “The new library will provide the very best for the children of Minerva Primary School. The children are going to be enthused and inspired to develop their love of reading, which will in turn support their learning.”

Children’s and teen author, Ally Kennen, said: “A well-stocked, well-run library is the engine room of a good school. The benefits of children reading are legion and I am delighted to support this wonderful and vital new resource.”

The new library was built thanks to a £11,400 investment from Taunton Deane Borough Council (TDBC).

The school says it has carefully chosen books that benefit all young readers and the new layout promotes a love of reading, with lots of spaces for tucking into a good book. The woodland-themed space is bright, vibrant and inviting with the aim of encouraging children to read more often.

Cllr Terry Beale, Taunton Deane Borough Council executive councillor for housing services, said: “The council is delighted that it could help finance this project. It’s a fabulous resource that provides a wonderful learning environment and will benefit children at Minerva Primary School for years to come.”

RELATED: Click here for more on the school’s transformation

To also mark the event literacy consultant Maria Richards, who has been working with the school to help raise standards, donated books for author study.

Staff from the UK Hydrographic Office helped launch the library as they have a long-standing reading support collaboration with the school. Volunteers, who have received specific training on phonics using the Read, Write, Inc. programme, support children’s early reading skills. They spend at least an hour each in school every week and this term alone, more than 30 children have benefited from this scheme.

Chris Hewson from the UKHO has been volunteering since 2007, he said: “Every child has the right to read, but not every child has the opportunity. Since 2005 the UKHO has supported Minerva School to raise literacy standards by proving 14 volunteers for an hour’s one-to-one reading per week.

“A new library, offering private space for reading, will create the right environment for teaching staff and volunteers to help children to enjoy and improve their reading.”

Since working with The Redstart Learning Partnership in 2016 the school, formally known as Halcon Primary School, has benefited from new leadership, a major refurbishment to the school entrance, reception area and classrooms, a new name and uniform and the nursery integrated into the school."