Ratcliffe Library
Welcome to the Ratcliffe Library!
The OLA Senior School Ratcliffe library is a creative hub of imagination and learning that provides pupils with support and invaluable skills.
In September 2013, the school library was officially renamed in honour of OLA alumnus Bertram Ratcliffe, who was awarded the Military Cross for his brilliantly daring escape in World War One.
Today, the library is managed by OLA’s Literacy Coordinator, Claire Guerin. Throughout the academic year, the library provides pupils with a safe, happy environment, offering a vast range of material, whether they’re looking for an easy read on a cold, grey day, or a stimulating academic challenge.
What is the library like?
The library is a light and airy space, and is perfect for individual study, library lessons, and small groups. It is here that essential literary skills are learnt, providing pupils with a solid foundation of knowledge that will help them later in life – whether it’s academic study or future careers.
Our shelves are brimming with award-winning fiction, extensive non-fiction, poetry, literary criticism, foreign language magazines and journals. We are also in the process of creating a comfortable mental health area, designed to increase awareness and offer a safe space to those who may need some time out.
The online library catalogue is extremely easy to navigate and available on both school and library computers. The library catalogue allows pupils to search for resources in the OLA library. Pupils may search and browse by title, author, subject, genre etc. Please note that the catalogue is only searchable from within the OLA network. Pupils also have access to JSTOR, a digital library of books, catalogues and primary sources. Pupils will also go on to use this platform at university – if that is the path they wish to take.
Library Events
We run notable events throughout the year for pupils, such as Carnegie Shadowing, Author Events, World Book Day, Kids Lit Quiz and the OLA Reading Festival, which is a collaboration with our fantastic local independent bookshop, Mostly Books.