Skip to content

Bristol plane fuselage turned into primary school library

BBC The plane fuselage with steps onto itBBC
The schools new library and outdoor classroom was officially opened on World Book Day

A school said its book club is "thriving" after a fuselage of a plane was transformed into a library.

St Helen's Primary School, in Alveston near Bristol, saved up to buy the unique space which arrived in January 2023. It also doubles as an outdoor classroom.

Richard Adams, deputy head teacher, said the students get a "real sense of pleasure" from reading there.

The official opening was held on World Book Day, earlier this year.

Mr Adams said the idea came about after the school ran a competition for the children to choose new house names and the pupils came up with a "marvellous idea to name them after planes".

Two students looking at books in the fuselage library
Student Catherine said: "You get to be inside a plane, in your school, with books, which is really cool"

There is a great history in the area with the link to planes and after a school trip, they came up with a "great idea to rescue a plane that had finished its useful service from a plane graveyard," he added.

As a large part of the fuselage was built in nearby Filton - where Concorde was designed and built - it was very much in keeping with their local plane angle too, he said.

"Originally it was decaying slightly so a previous head teacher and the local community got a project together to buy it and renovate it then move it the school.

"It's been completely redone inside as a library," he said.

The fuselage was then pulled to the school on a big crane and lifted onto the school field.

The cockpit of the plane looking into the library
The fuselage was from a plane that was made in Bristol

"It was a lot of work but we're really grateful to the community for raising the money for that," he added.

"We have more than 30 children in our book club now" and being able to learn on the plane is the "highlight of their week", he added.

Catherine, a student at the school, said: "I really enjoy reading... [and] the library has been really amazing.

"You get to be inside a plane, in your school, with books, which is really cool."

Charlotte, another student, said: "I really like reading... and it's really amazing to have a plane with the cockpit and be able to sit down on a bean bag and read a book."

Being able to come on the plane has also encouraged lots of younger children to come and read, she added.

Presentational grey line

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.