Independent Learning Hub

Here at High Tunstall, our Independent Learning Hub (ILH) offers a calm, welcoming and inclusive environment, supporting students to develop a strong intellectual curiosity and a life-long love of reading, learning, and independent thinking.

Our mission is to provide a safe haven where everyone is valued and respected. All our fully trained and experienced staff members, in partnership with parents, families and Governors, are wholly committed to empowering students to meet current and future challenges, to develop social awareness, civic responsibility and personal growth. We strive to forge strong, positive connections with students so they can achieve independence, build confidence, and gain academic knowledge to prepare for their future steps in an ever changing, globalized world.

We recognise that students are at different stages of their learning journey and need to be supported and inspired to achieve their full personal and academic potential, so we provide:

• Extended, outside of school hours, opening.
• A calm, welcoming, safe environment, conducive to learning.
• Trained, experienced, motivated staff.
• Extensive, targeted reading intervention programmes including Rapid Phonics, Reciprocal Reading, Accelerated Reader and Lexia, gifted reader periods and guided group reading sessions each with a different focus.
• Specialist teachers for lesson catch-up and homework help.
• Resources such as 30 computers, colour printer, interactive whiteboard, TV screen, stationery.
• Diverse library stock, inclusive of all student age groups and abilities – Barrington Stoke dyslexia friendly, Yoto Carnegie medal shortlisted books, books about other cultures, student requests, mental wellbeing section, classics, best sellers, Booktrust recommendations, graphic novels, poetry, donations, non-fiction.
• Well stocked Careers section.
• Promotional book displays.
• Reading groups, competitions, worksheets and activities.
• Training programmes for student librarians.

The ILH aims to:

• Have the interests of students at our core.
• Appoint, train and mentor student librarians.
• Listen, and act upon, student, teacher, parental and Governor voice, allowing students to feel a sense of ownership and belonging.
• Engage and enable students to reach their full reading potential.
• Support students to work independently enabling them to widen and embed knowledge leading to increased confidence, critical thinking and motivation for learning.
• Encourage inclusivity and diversity.
• Provide resources so that no child is at a disadvantage.

We will facilitate, support and encourage the whole college love of reading culture, preparing students for their future steps whatever their needs may be.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”
― Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!