Our library has been working on raising the profile of taught research skills in our school. Research skills include the ability to find suitable sources and use them in academic work. These skills are crucial for academic success and transferable to many other areas of life, including citizenship, the workplace and health literacy. Supporting these skills in our young people means that they will be better equipped for independent living, study and work after secondary education.
Our school library has a newly set up Information Station, an area near the non-fiction bookshelves where students can find leaflets, booklets, and bookmarks with useful guidance on how to research and study independently, including a guide to time management.
Last month, the librarian, Ms Cechova, also delivered two sessions for our Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) programme, led by Mrs Ullman. This included a session on basic research skills and search strategies for online catalogues, specifically focused on finding peer-reviewed articles for their EPQ projects. The second session focused on understanding what makes a resource high-quality and reliable, and how to cite them academically. Students were provided with articles picked by Ms Cechova to fit their EPQ topics and used them during the session to find real examples of good practice in academic writing.
Our school librarian, Ms Cechova, reflects on the importance of information literacy:
“Information literacy is a very broad term, including many different research skills, as well as skills that we use in our daily lives when we deal with information from other people. Being able to decide what sources of information are reliable and how to use the information we find, especially online, is an invaluable skill that we should teach directly to our students as much as possible.”
Our EPQ Coordinator, Mrs Ullman, has positive feedback on the sessions:
“Students consistently report increased confidence in areas such as source evaluation, referencing, academic integrity, and independent inquiry—skills that are essential preparation for higher education. This work has enhanced the EPQ programme, helping to establish a culture in which research skills and critical thinking are valued and actively taught.”
Our KS5 students can find the latest resources at the Information Station in our library, as shown in the pictures below.