Message for Year 3, Parley First School

Hello

Miss Roche, Mr Perry, 3P & 3R, Year 3 TA's and Mrs Clarke and your Year 3 class in Suffolk if you are interested.

from Mrs Hamp in New Zealand.

 

Well this morning, unusually, it was raining so I went for a walk round Devonport, which is a suburb of Auckland, where we are staying for a few days.

The clue that I was close to a school was the walking bus logo on the pavement. So I decided to go and be nosey.

I found myself  outside Belmont Primary School and as no-one appeared to be around I went for a closer look.

 

 

I went to the office but couldn't see a Mrs Flynn equivalent so kept going. The first set of classrooms I came to were locked so these pictures are taken through the windows.

 

They looked very much like our classrooms. Can you see the hundred square, whiteboard and book rack? If you look closely, the display is about Fiction and Non-fiction texts. There's a ladder too, so they must have TA's!

 

 

The children don't appear to have trays to put their things in, they have lockers. Now there's a solution to untidy cloakrooms Mr. Bagwell.

 



 

As I walked around there seemed to be quite a few playgrounds and playtrails which rather put ours to shame. But it was a much bigger school and because of the good weather they do spend longer outside.

 

 

Then I found an open classroom with Mrs. Holdich in it and discovered why the front gates and classrooms were locked and there were no children around.  They are on their summer holidays, which in the southern hemisphere coincide with Christmas.  Mrs. Holdich, spray disinfectant and cleaning cloth in hand, was moving year groups and trying to get her new classroom ready for the beginning of the school year and her new children. She was moaning about how the carpet was still damp from its summer clean so that she couldn't put all the furniture back and set up the room how she wanted it (sound familiar teaching staff?)

 

 

 

 

I thought I had better let her get on with it as she was clearly stressed out (like primary teachers the world over!) and continued around the outside of the school. I came across the Literacy Garden (take note Literacy Co-ordinators Mr. Wootton/Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Brooks). Unfortunately that was also locked, but through the fence I could see mosaic stepping stones, planters and wall paintings with well known book titles and authors on them, plus benches dotted around for you to sit on and read.

 

 

 

 

 

They obviously also have an Eco-council which has similar concerns to ours about the environment.

 

Now my favourite bit - the sports facilities. Check out these Mrs. Edkins and Mr. Bagwell. The field is a bit smaller than ours but has an artificial wicket.

 

 

 

 

 

Saving the best until last, this one is for Mrs. Aiken. The school has its own swimming pool in the grounds.  Now where would I like to work as a TA?

 



So, farewell from Belmont Primary.  Perhaps in two weeks when the new term starts I will see if I can find another school which is open and show you one at work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS  Apologies to blog readers who have not experienced young children and/or have no interest in primary education. Normal service will be resumed dreckly.