http://www.edingtonshapwick.co.uk en-us N/A rich@corephp.co.uk Thu, 04 Dec 2008 13:53:20 EST 20 http://www.edingtonshapwick.co.uk/articles/83/1/The-children-who-find-their-way-here-often-with-great-difficulty-are-so-lucky-/Page1.html
Because it works as a triumvirate, she says.   Teachers, parents and pupils are all pulling together.

From the outset it’s all about building relationships.  All about the recognition and respect we have for the pupils, and the recognition and respect they find they can give us.

Once I taught in a tough inner-city Middle School in the North. When I came here I at once found this is where I most wanted to be, and working with children who have dyslexia is the thing I most wanted to do.  After those 20 years I am still learning.

Teaching at this school can be fun.  Every teacher finds that is so. It’s rewarding for both the pupils and for us.  The children who find their way here, often with great difficulty, are so lucky. You cannot be unaware there are many others denied the same opportunities and help we’re able to offer.

Some pupils come here broken and angry.  Our job is to undo the harm that has been done and make them believe in themselves again.  Our role is to help them find themselves and discover that learning is something they can not only do – but enjoy."

Margaret Kingham, Deputy Head at Edington, Joined the school in 1987, Margaret has spent over 30 years as a teacher, 20 of these have been at Edington. ]]> no@spam.com (Website Editor) Thu, 15 May 2008 07:26:13 EDT http://www.edingtonshapwick.co.uk/articles/83/1/The-children-who-find-their-way-here-often-with-great-difficulty-are-so-lucky-/Page1.html http://www.edingtonshapwick.co.uk/articles/82/1/This-schoolas-success--aWell-itas-remarkable-itas-rewarding/Page1.html
I once taught once in a Bristol Comprehensive with 2000 pupils on the roll and after three years I found there were still some pupils whose names I still didn't know. Here, you know everyone of them within months.

This school’s success?  Well, it’s remarkable, it’s rewarding, but it’s not rocket science.  The secret of this place is all down to class size.  It’s about identifying and meeting individual and personal needs.   These are things impossible to achieve in schools any larger than this.

I am proud of the response and the performance we get from our pupils. The results speak for themselves.  But you have to remember what many here have been through before they ever reached us.  They’ve known the misery and frustration of feeling themselves to be failures.

Our job is to help them overcome it all. To win their confidence. To enable them to find themselves, to express themselves verbally, to respect the parameters of behaviour that will help them take a place in the adult world that awaits.

What we require and what we get here is real commitment. The pupils put aside problems and make a genuine effort. They give of their best. What more could we ask?”

MARTIN LEE, Deputy Head at Shapwick, Joined the school in 2001 ]]> no@spam.com (Website Editor) Thu, 15 May 2008 07:21:48 EDT http://www.edingtonshapwick.co.uk/articles/82/1/This-schoolas-success--aWell-itas-remarkable-itas-rewarding/Page1.html