Interview with Marcus, a local boy from Bridgwater who is aged 14 and is severely dyslexic.

His parents sent him to a Comprehensive.  Progress was zero so he was sent to another. Class size of over 30.  A keen footballer, Marcus had trials with Plymouth Argyll and Exeter.  Also highly rated at table tennis.  A boy who can hold his own, but admits both those early schools were “rough”.

“Sport was OK, and I made friends, but I didn’t learn much,” he said.  “It was no good.  My parents saw I was getting nowhere.  A disaster.”

So how about Shapwick?   “This place is nothing short of brilliant!  You enjoy work. That’s what makes the difference.”

Marcus spent a year at Edington and another two at Shapwick.

Favourite subjects:?  English in a class size of around a dozen, and media studies in a class of just six.  And now he pursues a dream.

He is enthusiastic about drama and the world of stage and screen. Loves writing.

One day wants to write film scripts and has the determination that could make it all happen.

Dear Mr Whittock,
I am writing to inform you that I will no longer be able to at the farm boarding house as I am leaving on 18/6/2007 as there is no longer a reason for me to stay at Bridgwater College and Shapwick School as my course has finished.  I have attained the grades that I need to attend university.  I would also like to take this moment in thanking you and Mr Walker for giving me the chance to work at the farm as it was a great opportunity to revisit the past when I first started at Edington and to get to know the children.  They are such a vast array of characters it was a pleasure to work with them. 

I also think that this job at the farm is a great opportunity for the senior boarders to earn some money at the school whilst putting something back into the school.  As it is not easy to keep a job going at home while we are here, therefore it would be a great privilege for future 6th formers to continue working at the farm throughout the entire year.  This would also be a unique selling point to the 6th form on the whole. 

I would also like to thank you and all your staff for the support that they have given me over the time that I have been here.  I know that without this I would never have achieved the amazing things that I have now. My life at Edington and Shapwick has been an amazing adventure and I can't thank you enough for the opportunities to do so many things that I would never have done if I hadn't come to this school.  The skills and achievements that I have gained will stay with me forever and now will enable me to take the next step in my life and go to Plymouth University where I will still remember all the great things that I have accomplished and it has been a pleasure and honour to be a part of Edington and Shapwick school. 

Veronica, Luke and Sam were in Year 11,  preparing for the final leg of their time at Shapwick. They were asked about their first impressions of Edington & Shapwick School.
Veronica: The fact that the boys outnumbered the girls was a bit of a shock! Meeting pupils from all parts of the country and working in a relaxed environment. 
Sam: That’s right, there was Neil from Yorkshire, Nic from London, Michael from deepest Cornwall and I thought Tom was from Scotland!
Luke: I think the biggest impression was the amount of support I got from the Teachers. Also my confidence went up and my grades improved.

They were then asked what benefits they felt they had gained by being here rather than a mainstream school.
Luke: Shapwick has got a friendly atmosphere and we want to learn throughout the school curriculum. In mainstream I think we would have suffered because of our dyslexia.
Sam: Yeah, in say maths I was given a problem and left to get on with it, whereas here you are given help and it’s explained in different ways. I think it boosted my confidence here and I think I’ve made friendships for life. You learn work and the Teachers know how to make it stick in your head!

A group of boarders were asked what they liked about boarding.
Steve: You learn to look after yourself and I think you get to know your friends much better because you're living with them 24/7.  You learn to get on with people and when you do have a fall out, you learn it's best to put it right and make up.  You also become independent and this is good for later life.
Henry: You make friends you can really trust and rely on.  You can count on them to help you out.  Although you can feel homesick particularly when you get back to school after a long holiday, this soon goes when you get into the swing of things.
Neil: I’ve learnt to be very independent and learnt how to get along with others in a house environment which gives you a great advantage. We have a good laugh and you can have your own space when you need it.