Carterton Primary School marked an exciting milestone with the official opening of its brand new library on Wednesday, 23 October.
Students, staff, and special guests gathered for a ceremony at the school in Carterton, including Jo Cotterill, the celebrated children’s author and Patron of Reading for the school, who cut the ribbon and declared the library “open for business.”
Cotterill, known for popular books like ‘A Library of Lemons’ and ‘Electrigirl’, spoke about the power of stories to inspire young minds, and she is expected to return to Carterton for future visits to spark students’ enthusiasm for reading and creative writing.
The event featured words from several speakers, including Mr Jackson, Carterton’s headteacher, and Year 6 students Julia and Alyssa, who shared their excitement for the new library. Mr Shaughnessy, Director of Primary Education at Ridgeway Education Trust, also spoke about the impact of reading resources on student growth.
Liv Walters, a Year 12 student from Carterton Community College, read a passage from Giraffes Can’t Dance, her favourite book from her primary school days. In the upcoming term, Liv and other Year 12 students will participate in a peer reading program, providing Carterton students with one-on-one reading support and fostering connections between the two schools.
Thanks were extended to the Friends of Carterton Primary School for their fundraising efforts, which allowed the purchase of many new books, and to the Farmington Institute, whose generous donation made the library refurbishment possible.
The opening ceremony was attended by members of the Carterton community, including Leanne and Becky from the Friends of CPS, colleagues from RAF Brize Norton, Trustees from Ridgeway Education Trust, CEO Rachael Warwick, and Farmington Institute representative Kay Webb.
Mrs Hill, Assistant Headteacher at CPS, was acknowledged for her dedicated leadership of the library project, investing time and passion to see it through.
As Mrs Warwick reflected, “Creating a library for the children at Carterton Primary School has been a community effort, and we are very grateful to everyone who has supported this venture.”
The school looks forward to many “happy reading” moments ahead for students, with a wealth of new books and a warm, welcoming space to enjoy them.
