Friday 21 November 2014

Visit to the Sele First School

First Schools are the backbone of Northumberland 3 Tier education and there are none bigger, and few better, than the  Sele First School, which I went round recently. It has several hundred pupils, and is on a scale that is as big, if not bigger, than many Middle Schools.
Its success on so many levels - from classwork, to pupil happiness, to music, are clear to everyone. Certainly I saw a happy and forward school. They are well led by Margaret Anderson OBE. She has been in place as head teacher for a long time but her enthusiasm for the job and the school continue unabated and shine through.

The school occupies a unique town centre historic site, which comes with its issues. So, aside from extolling its virtues, Margaret showed me a lot of windows, and the ancient parts of buildings, that need upgrading. I will help on this in whatever way I can, as always.

The word Sele comes from the old English word for happiness and fortune. Both these words, in their traditional sense, were very much on display when I went round the school: the school is a happy place with pupils who have good fortune to be part of it.