Page 15 - link magazine

Education News

Primary school in Toothill wins literacy accolade

Oliver Tomkins Church of England effectively support children. It also
Voluntary Aided Primary School identified the number of out of
received a national award for its hours clubs that are provided in a
work to boost the resilience, well- targeted way to support children’s
being and self-esteem of all pupils. learning; the children speak
The Quality Mark Award from positively about our homework and
education charity Achievement reading clubs.”
for All was received in mid- Achievement for All works closely
November in recognition of the with parents, carers, teachers and
work to improve progress in reading, individual children to secure the
writing and maths for pupils. best outcome and attainment
Headteacher Rhian Cockwell through personalised and specific
said: “AFA has enabled us to targets. The unique programmes
strengthen the impact we have are delivered directly to schools
on all children using a variety and settings via a highly skilled
of approaches. Having Julie and trained team of expert coaches
Warburton as the school champion and a specialist online support tool
has ensured a ‘joined-up’ approach called The Bubble.
to maintain communication Kim Mole of Achievement for All,
between all and ensure learners are commented: “Oliver Tomkins has
better supported. shown a high quality of leadership
“We were especially pleased to and teamwork. The quality and
have recognition for our nurture standard of children’s work in terms
programmes and that this was seen Youngsters at Oliver Tomkins Primary School holding the of content and presentation was of
as a real strength in Oliver Tomkins Achievement for All award with headteacher Rhian Cockwell, right, a consistently high standard across
with resources well deployed to and deputy headteacher Julie Warburton the school.”

Much loved school administrator retires

Millbrook Primary School manager completed. about leaving their most treasured
Gill Peachey, née Wilson, who “I had always worked closely with possession with us.”
retired after 30 years in December, Louise Spencer, the Freshbrook The word went out to former and
must hold some kind of record. school manager, so we were able present pupils, staff and parents
During her earlier years at to keep administration running during the Autumn to send in their
Windmill Hill Primary which smoothly. We’ve had about six years Peachey Pie Memories which Gill
opened in 1987 and amalgamated of calm since the school settled into started to open at the beginning
with Freshbrook Primary to create the current building and now we’re of December. “I’ve been reminded
Millbrook in 2007, she estimated oversubscribed. of so many moments such as
she helped remove more than 400 “For me and all the staff, it’s when Jonathan Rabbitt told me he
milk teeth. always been about the children wanted to be a doctor when I was
She said: “Children would come and we always tried not to let applying a plaster to his finger.
to school and, as they do, fiddle outside stuff get in the way of the “I’ve opened so many lovely letters
with loose teeth, sometimes happiness and their desire to learn. of appreciation and thanks, I’ll
hurting themselves. The teachers “I just love chatting and creating admit to some tears. I’m sure there
didn’t like pulling them in front about everything, from checking the a positive atmosphere, welcoming will be a few more at the end of
of the class, so they sent children delivery of new furniture before the new parents so that they are happy term,” said Gill.
to me. Of course you couldn’t do school opened, to translating for
anything like that now. Japanese families connected with
“I would give them the tooth Honda, and of course pulling teeth.
in an envelope to put under their “At that time Freshbrook Primary
pillow that night. One day a girl School was growing very quickly
came to me in floods of tears and eventually had nearly 900
because she had lost her envelope children, people said it was Britain’s
and asked if I would write to the largest primary. Windmill Hill under
tooth fairy asking her to leave the Mr Messenger took the pressure off
money. and it quickly developed its own
Gill came to Swindon from a identity.”
very busy job at IPC magazines in Fifteen years later, when the baby
London’s Fleet Street, as assistant bulge eased, the required number
to the editor of Women’s Own and of primary places reduced and
later Ideal Homes. She said: “In Swindon Council proposed to create
those days it was all cutting and one school in Freshbrook.
pasting, not a computer to be seen. Gill remembers the distress Youngsters from Tregoze Primary School visited Link magazine in
If the editor didn’t like something, amongst parents well. “Many were mid-November to discover the details of putting together a publication
it all had to be done again. terribly upset at the idea their small and how many similarities there are with their school work, such as
“I started as a carer at Freshbrook school would shut. Eventually the communication and teamwork, writing to a deadline and making sure
playgroup, but when the job decision was to combine the schools work is checked for errors before it is handed in.
as school secretary at the new and Millbrook opened in 2007. But The school is involved in the Erasmus Plus exchange programme with five
Windmill Hill Primary School came we had to operate on two sites until other schools across Europe and the visit was part of a project to share writing.
up I knew I’d love it. It involved just 2009 when the new building was
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