New library is jewel in the crown for John O'Gaunt School
Facility is 'centrepiece' says proud headteacher
THE ‘centrepiece’ of John O’Gaunt School in Hungerford – its new library – was opened in a special ceremony on Friday evening.
Fittingly for such literary surroundings, guest of honour was bestselling author and journalist Gill Hornby.
Ms Hornby, who is married to fellow author Robert Harris and lives in Kintbury, cut a ribbon to mark the occasion.
She also spoke passionately about the power of reading and the influence a good book can have on a young person.
The new facility was made possible through a mixture of investment from West Berkshire Council, a grant from the Greenham Common Trust, donations from local organisations and fundraising by the school’s Parent Staff Association.
PSA events included An Evening with Jon Snow in March, while staff took on a range of sponsored challenges to raise additional funds for books and equipment.
Assistant headteacher Ellie Bunston covered 373km, the distance from Land’s End to John O’Gaunt School, on a rowing machine; school business manager Penny Setter ran the Ridgeway Revenge Half Marathon on June 20; and the personal assistant to the headteacher, Sarah Thorne, cycled 85 miles in the Wiggle MagnifiCat Sportive event on July 12.
Meanwhile former headteacher Sarah Brinkley ran the Brighton Marathon and another assistant headteacher, Matt Davies, braved his first live singing performance.
In the summer holidays, deputy headteacher Corinne Walker skydived from a plane at 13,000ft and librarian Deborah Lamb abseiled down the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, Hampshire.
As a result of all that, the PSA has already exceeded the £10,000 fundraising target members set themselves to buy books, iPads and other resources for the library.
West Berkshire Council vice chairman Quentin Webb (Con, Bucklebury) attended the opening ceremony and said he hoped the new library would help improve student outcomes at the school.
Alongside the refurbishment of the science labs and the resurfacing of the netball courts, he said the council was proud of its investment in the school.
New headteacher Alan Henderson said the school would like to thank Hungerford Freemasons, Round Table and Rotary Club for their “very generous” donations.
He added: “The library will only have a positive impact on the learning experience of the students at John O’Gaunt.
“It is the new centrepiece of our school – the first thing people see when they walk in the front door - and it reflects the positive learning culture at the school.”
