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We’ve run schools and nurseries for a good number of years, but always within the independent
sector, and we’ve found that where children are motivated and have high self-esteem, and
are excited about learning, that they learn best. And so we want, within our school, to
put that at the very foundation of everything we do, and to encourage children to be challenged,
to challenge themselves and for us to challenge them, and for us to employ high-calibre staff,
who really believe, passionately, in the same vision and really want that for the children
that they are going to be teaching as well.
I think that we have, um, something different to, to offer. So, I wouldn’t say, um, that
we are better but, it’s just different. Um, and that is, um, really all associated
with, as I’ve just said, the very foundation of what we want to do is to get children to
believe that they can do something, and to enjoy their learning. And when they enjoy
their learning then we feel that, um, everything else can, can flow from there.
We hope that we can make an impact and have a contribution to make to the local area,
um, and we want to work in partnership with other schools. Um, I’ve already been round
to visit some of the school heads, um, to make it clear that we’re not here in competition,
but that we really want to work together, for the good of the children who are in the
area. And in talking with local parents what they want for their children is for them to
be happy and to achieve to the highest of their capabilities. Um, I think, it’s also
important that parents feel consulted, and that they feel that, um, you know, they have a voice
and they have a say, and so, again, that’s an area, which we hope we can make a contribution to.
Well, having run schools and nurseries for a good number of years, um, we knew what worked
and what was successful in education. Um, we passed that group of schools and nurseries
over five years ago to an education charity because we felt that the group had become
too big. We were, in a way, victims of our own success, and we had lost the, um, the
face-to-face, day-to-day contact with the children and with the parents. And so it was
always our aim, at some point, to start another school and nursery, and when the free school
initiative was first discussed we thought this is a great opportunity and one that we
can’t miss, so we put in our application because it was something that we really, really
wanted to do. And we felt that all our years of experience in running schools, and all
the work that we’ve done in writing and training others, could all be brought together
within this one environment.
Well, the children skipping to school and they don’t want to leave. Um, that, um,
parents feel like they can be part of their children’s education and that they understand
what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. That, um, the staff are, um, engaged and excited
about the children that they are teaching and the success that they see the children
having. And I want to make sure that every child leaves our school at the age of 11 with
good numeracy and literacy skills, which is absolutely key. Um, I don’t want a child
ever to have leave our school without having those basic, key skills established.
It’s, um, a lot of work, but it’s very exciting, and as you start to plan, so you
start to see the school come together, um, and when it comes together in your imagination
and then you see, you find a building, and you see it coming together in reality it’s
a very, very exciting proposition.