I'm here, back at my blog to post about two
lovely school visits I've made for World Book Day 2016. What a pleasure they were!
But
first, I’m thinking about an Author Visit back from very late last year, when I
went to ALANBROOKE PRIMARY SCHOOL near Thirsk in North
Yorkshire. That felt a very fine visit too, but a
particularly busy Christmas came straight afterwards so I had no time to open this blog up at all. Apologies! I am sure Alanbrooke will have had a very good
World Book Day week indeed, despite the snow, as the school, staff and pupils had plenty of links to people and places around the world.
I recall being very impressed by the inclusive and
encouraging way that Alanbrooke used computers within the curriculum, and
rather wanted to know more about how and what and why and more, but during the
day there wasn’t time. Having a still-professional nosiness about classroom
practice can be quite frustrating at times.
I heard that the school had, fairly recently, been without any IT for
more than a year. An earlier
round of York
floods meant the school had to move into "un-wired" premises and the teachers had to get used to teaching without
electronic back up. Perhaps that break was why they were able to use IT in such
an easy spirit? I know they had an enthusiastic mentor-and-mechanic there most days which must have helped things
along.
Thank you, Alanbrooke Primary School, for a good day and one that restored my confidence about the
use of computers within education!
Now,
on to March and the start of World Book Day celebrations for 2016.
Wednesday was an early start, with a drive down the
M1 and across to OVERTHORPE
C.E PRIMARY
ACADEMY, high above
Dewsbury. The school was very welcoming, the children and staff friendly, and the
whole day so competently arranged. Although everyone was dressed up, the fun
was balanced by a nicely calm atmosphere, and there was even a book stall at
the end of the day. What a joy!
There was some extra excitement when thin snow
started falling outside and even more when thunder boomed at just the right
moment in my story.
By lunchtime the storm had gone and I peered out at
the sun streaming through the brisk clouds, lighting up the grounds. This was
when I heard all about the outside life of Overthorpe, and the double ponds and
the grass and the bulbs and the tree-planting and the poly-tunnel and other gardening
plans. I always feel so cheered when schools make the natural world some part
of their pupil’s own lives.
Once, I was told, you’d see slag-heaps and pitheads
from the top of the hill but in between there were green places to play and
roam. I felt glad that Overthorpe was able to open up some sense of space and
freedom for their children.
My
destination on Thursday was a bit closer: I was at HUNSLET
CARR PRIMARY
SCHOOL in Leeds. The travel
went well – still no snow – but my satnav was in a crotchety mood. It delivered
me accurately for the postcode but into a series of cul-de-sacs and dead-ends
where streets that once joined up, leading through to the school gates now
didn’t. In the end I and my car and talk-bags got there, got parked and got
into the school itself. Phew!
From then on, the morning improved. I was very
impressed by my glimpse of a rumbustious Book Character assembly, with lots of
laughing and dancing and dressing up, both staff and children. Then came my
sessions, and even a moment for a quick nursery storytime, and I hope that
everyone at Hunslet Carr enjoyed the visit as much as I did.
At Hunslet Carr, I was so focused on the getting-in with all my talk stuff , on the glass-fronted entrances and reception area
and the bright new look of the school interior that I hadn’t really noticed the
place. Then, pausing in the hall as I set up, I suddenly saw the beautiful
beams holding up the roof and there, on the mezzanine corridor – a hanging
banner from the long ago Hunslet Labour marches. This was a school with, despite
all the paint, a fine sense of history. All the way up the main staircase – and
it delighted me to see them – were objects from the school’s past life and a
collection of playthings from the last centuries.
The most poignant was an old slightly faded photo,
showing the victorious Hunslet Carr AFC team 1910- 1911. I looked at the faces
off all those young players and their Headmaster, and saw the words “The Unbeaten Team” and a list of their
winning matches and goals scored. Then, uneasy, I stared at the dates again and
realised those boys may well have been among those sent to the battle fields of
Flanders a couple of years later. I couldn’t help wonder if those lads had stayed
unbeaten?
The second delightful thing was the library area: a
small but cosy room, with carpets, cushions, a gentle light and plenty of new
and inviting books. Thankfully, one teacher has time out to look after the
library stock and to run library sessions, as well as support from Leeds
Schools Library Service. All this care showed in the very atmosphere of the
room; I could almost feel the sense of pleasure the children gain during their
sessions there. Thank you, everyone at Hunslet Carr, for making the day such a
good visit. Thoughtful architecture – and I don’t mean vast atriums – really
does affect the feel of a school building.
Thinking
over these descriptions, I’ve realised that each of these three schools offered
something extra, something beyond the rigours of the National Curriculum. Each
school, and members of staff within, had planned for a wider view and so enriched their
pupil’s lives: a thing to be very happy about.
(There may, of course, be other things I didn’t
notice because my attention was mainly on my work. If so, apologies for
anything or anyone I’ve missed out.)
It's Friday today, and I’m hoping the greyness outside
will mean I can do some writing inside during this weekend, as well as looking forward
to next week’s visit to a school in Keighley. Should be interesting getting there as one route across has been closed all summer because of a rock fall and another has been blocked by the sudden white stuff.
I must look and see if there's another route will be open, and trust to my AtoZ of West Yorkshire as well as that tricksy satnav . . . wish me luck!
Meanwhile, many good wishes to all of the children’s writers, illustrators, librarians and book-people travelling around the land, Have a happy World Book Day day/week/fortnight or month, and I hope the snow and cold of March doesn't stay to haunt your fun.
Bye for now!
