Winners of the SLA Inspiration Award announced

Author Kevin Brooks presented both schools with their awards. Each school received vouchers to spend with sponsors LFC and Gresswell.

Judges praised All Saints' resourcefulness in creating a library provision for its pupils in spite of the limited space available describing it as “an excellent facility in a small village school”. They also commented: “The school has not only physically revamped the library, but has supported the refurbishment with other means to give books and reading priority.”

Valley Park School in Kent opened their library in 2014. The judges commented: “The library at Valley Park is an excellent example of secondary phase library provision in design and use. As you walk into the library there is an immediate sense of space and light. There is sufficient space enabling both lessons and access by students from across the curriculum to take place simultaneously.”

Tricia Adams, Director of the School Library Association said: “The judges were impressed with the quality of the entries. It is reassuring to see schools valuing the role a library plays not only in the education of our children but in their social and emotional development. We would like to thank all of the schools that entered and encourage them to continue inspiring young minds.”

The judges' citations for all five finalists in the SLA School Library Inspiration Award 2015 are all available to read online.