Danetree’s Narnia-themed library captivates young readers

Pupils at Danetree School in West Ewell will find reading a magic voyage of wonder after the school’s library was reopened after undergoing a Narnia-themed makeover.

The grand opening celebration was attended by school governors, teachers, representatives of the school’s PTA - who funded the project - and pupils, as well as children’s author Josh Lacey, on a special visit to the school.

The scheme took about six months to complete and was overseen by the school’s reading co-ordinator and head of Year Five, Joanna Singleton, with the Narnia theme suggestion coming from head teacher James Broad.

“We’re so excited about this,” said Mrs Singleton, “and to get it opened and operational before the end of term makes it even more of an achievement. The design and mural painting was done by a member of our PTA, Becky Harris Cowley, and then once that was done I helped with kitting it out. Narnia was chosen because those stories are such timeless classics, there’s always a new generation of children waiting to discover them and to be whisked away through the back of the wardrobe – so we thought why not decorate the library like that, to
inspire them all?".

The whole school has been aware of the work in progress over the past few months, and now it is finished and open, unsurprisingly, it has proved hugely popular. “The library is now a work of art in its own right, which makes it a fun place to be, which can only help to encourage a more positive attitude towards reading and learning,” Mrs Singleton explained. “This hasn’t just been about redecorating one of the school rooms to look a bit nicer, it’s something far bigger than that. It’s about capturing the children’s imagination and inspiring them to read. That can only be good for their pupils’ education – and also the education of children who will be coming to Danetree for years to come.”