WITH sofas, Gandalf and even a resident cat, a school's quirky new library is a hit with students and staff.

Chetwynde School has relocated its library from the basement into the old staff room, which is in a central position at the heart of the school.

The light space, which was also previously a dance studio, has been transformed into a homely library with sofas, cushions, rugs and a Hogwarts-esque study table and chairs.

The library also features cut outs of William Shakespeare and Gandalf, a model cat, various trinkets and the school motto, "Aspire, Believe, Achieve", painted on the wall.

The Barrow all-through school fundraised to create the new facility and received donations and support from parents, staff and businesses, including Leck and Ward Group.

Headteacher Sian Jeffreys, the English department members and librarian Fiona Lowe were among the staff who decorated the library through the summer holidays.

The school now uses the Eclipse library software system and students can interact with the library from desktops, smart phones and tablets.

Chetwynde is embedding a culture of reading at the school through the Accelerated Reader scheme and its timetabled Drop Everything and Read sessions.

The library will soon host its first Star Books coffee shop sessions.

Jill Robinson, an English teacher and literacy co-ordinator at the school, said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the library.

"Our children are hooked on reading and this is a magical place to read.

"We wanted it to be quirky with these little touches. We wanted it to be a place where their imaginations can fly."

Mrs Robinson and the staff thanked everyone who has made the new library possible with their generous donations and time.

Harry-John Hoggarth, 11, said: "The new layout is very good and I like all the places to sit and read. You can read in comfort, it's quite homely.

"It's better than the old library."

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