Page 7 - link magazine

DAY IN THE LIFE

MAKING SCHOOL
PART OF THE
COMMUNITY
Peter Woodcock, Head of Brook
Field School, Shaw welcomed
his first pupils last September. It
was a rush getting ready and it
has been all go since. Here, he
takes time out to give us an idea
of what he does.
I usually wake and get up about
6.45 a.m. or get up and wake up
about 11.45 a.m. Certainly in
contrast to my black labrador
who awakes everyday as if it's his
birthday. I must mention that my
wife's elbow is the most efficient Brick laying with Peter Woodcock, David Jackson pouring water,
alarm clock in Kellaways. Where right, Paul Ward mixing the mortar, centre, and Matthew Hamilton the
is that you cry? Well, it's near brickie.
Chippenham and it's famous for An
Maud Heaths Causeway. Being a laying with groups of children in different from children really, English Country
teacher, I'll let you look that one the top unit. We had great fun are we? In reverse, maybe it's Restaurant
up. doing it and I'm sure they've not a bad philosophy to treat the
I drive along the M4 to Swindon, derived a great deal from it. It's children in school as young adults.
which takes me about 25 minutes. amazing how long it takes to lay It's amazing how they will respond Fixed Price Lunch £9.50
It gives me some thinking time ten bricks! When the man from to being given responsibilities.
and a chance to play the tapes the Mears builders gave us a demon- Back home it's probably some Dinner £14.50
wife doesn't allow at home. I'm stration it looked pretty easy! It's reading as we're certainly being Sunday Lunch £10.50
not dominated really, just down all part of the school project inundated with proposals for
trodden. My route to work must we've been involved in about change by the Government. I
be the envy of many who crawl Brook Field and our local enjoy relaxing and a good social Church End Purton
like tortoises through Swindon environment. life as well. I think you need it to Swindon
each day. For how long I wonder? The staff have a great sense of stay fresh in the job, which is Tel: (0793) 772100
I get to work about 8 a.m. and humour so break time in the very demanding, but certainly
get a cup of coffee from Reg the mornings is a laugh. Somebody exciting and enjoyable.
caretaker. (Well trained and of telling you about having a game
course it comes with the at eight' of squash and a curry the night
mints). He's the only caretaker before and you're hoping they Open 7 days a week
in Swindon with a parrot outside go that in the right order! BASSETT Radio Controlled 24 Hr.
his door and a cleaning machine We also have a dry wipe board in lyre Breakdown Service
called Fred with stick-on eyes. the staffroom for daily messages TYRES
Seriously, he's got a great rela- which acquires its fair share of 'C
tionship with the children, and 'unusual' ones!
that's what we're out to en- At lunchtime Jennie and Liz
courage. wheel their trolleys into the hall
Between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. I wearing their white coats, looking sew
try to see the staff and prepare a bit like emegency ward 10 or an
work for Sue my Secretary. She old Doctor Kildare scene. The
works incredibly hard for fifteen phone usually goes about ten
hours a week. We really need times over the lunch hour, which
more help of this kind as Heads. means it can take you about fifty
At about 8.50 a.m. the children minutes to eat four chips.
and parents arrive, which is So time gallops by to 3 o'clock 8pcj c?(ct
always a nice part of the day. It and then it might be the tenth
gives me a chance to have a chat cup of black coffee and a staff "yes
with a few parents and get to meeting for about an hour and a
know new faces. quarter. I really enjoy these ses-
With a new school recently sions as it's exciting for us as a
opened, the administration is new staff, developing the curri-
colossal. With all the truckloads culum. I usually have a long chat
of paper work arriving and being with Pam, my Deputy, and see
a conservationist at heart, it's the staff also. Some nights it may
annoying to think of the tree be a course or putting up a dis-
loss. I'm trying to teach about play of childrens' work. I'm
40
three days a week, which will looking forward to our field OU&
always constitute the nicest part being ready and being able to let
of the job. Being with the children off some steam on the football 74was ac
and involved in their activities field. Definitely a frustrated
brings the greatest pleasure of all. Bobby Charlton and I've got the Unit 7 Templars Way 0
For example, I did some brick- hair to prove it! We're not much Industrial Estate, Marlborough Rd.,
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