Dear Parents
As we cross the threshold of another new year, it provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year, and how it has affected us as individuals, as families and as members of our community. If you’re anything like me, you may have been counting down the hours to the end of 2020, on the basis that 2021 can only be an improvement on what we have experienced over the last few months.
The way of course will always be forward, but my own reflections led me to think about how our school has evolved and progressed, not only over the past year but going back over a longer a period. It occurs to me that for obvious reasons many of you reading this may have become involved with Gearies only in recent years through your own children’s education experience, and that it might be of interest to give you a flavour of what has been going on ‘behind the scenes’ in recent years outside the classroom environment.
On 3rd September 2013 Gearies opened its doors to its pupils as a primary school. Leading up to that date Gearies had existed as two separate school – infants and juniors – but circumstances arose which made it logical for the two to merge into a single school, and hence Gearies Primary School was born! Of course this didn’t just happen overnight, as the process of amalgamation involved a large number of meetings and a tremendous amount of detailed planning including the reorganisation of the two separate governing bodies into a new board of governors, under any chairmanship.
When thinking about staffing levels at Gearies, we will at all times look at roles rather than individuals, and I think one of the most pleasing outcomes of the amalgamation was that a role was initially found for each and every staff member of both Infant and Junior schools.
Just for a moment going back a little further in time, I must mention that in 2012 Gearies Infant School (as it then was) made a (Successful) application to become a Teaching School, subsequently forming the Gants Hill Partnership Teaching Alliance, involving other local school. This was in recognition of the fact that school to school support was fast emerging as the way forward in education, and he vision of the Alliance was that “working in mutual partnership the member schools will raise their standards of learning, pupil achievement and teaching, and enhance the quality of their leadership and management “. The work of the Alliance proved to be highly successful in its support of local school.
Back in 2013, and following the formation of Gearies Primary School, there were immediate rumblings from the local authority on the possibility of expanding our school to four forms of entry. It would be incorrect to say we did not have a choice in the matter, but the Board of Governors took the decision to go ahead, and the first feasibility study was produced in November 2013. A whole book could be written (and might well be at some time!) on the subsequent years (not months) of meetings, discussions, visits and reports that finally led to building work commencing on-site in the summer 2018. It is certainly relevant to mention that all through this process Mr Drew had to be involved in virtually every meeting and discussion, and a tremendous amount of work was done by him, and other staff members, over and above the ‘day job’ of running the School and the education of its pupils – and all this over an extended period, (including school holidays).
In order to keep this brief history in near chronological order, I must at this point highlight the Ofsted inspection which took place in September 2014. This was something which I’m pleased to say the School took in its stride, and the Inspectors’ report confirmed our School as continuing to be outstanding in the education it provides.
I’m sure you will have watched with interest as the new building took shape, and of course some re-modelling was necessary within our existing premises to make the school buildings a cohesive whole. If the imaginary book I mentioned above over were ever to be written, I believe the majority of its pages would be taken up in detailing the construction period leading up to 3rd September 2019 when, on that first day of the new school year, we were able to accommodate all our pupils, including the new intake. There was still work to be done however, mainly in the outside area, but the building is now essentially complete.
From my own involvement during the construction period, I can testify to the vast amount that had to be done by the School in keeping the disruption of pupils’ education to a minimum, both in planning and practical ways, and on a daily basis. I have the greatest of respect and admiration for the dedication (and staying power!) of Mr Drew, our two deputies and each and every member of our staff for all their collective efforts during that time, particularly in maintaining the exiting high standards of teaching and learning. This would be an appropriate time too to thank you the parents for all your co-operation and patience, as arrangements for your children had to be frequently changed whilst the builders were on site. This was extremely helpful and much appreciated.
And then along came Covid. As soon as this can become part not only of Gearies’ history but also national and worldwide history, then so much the better. Again, you will be only too well aware of what has already had to be done in re-ordering the School in accordance with changing national and local directions, and it remains to be seen what the future holds. As individuals, as families and as a community we are being severely tested, and I do know from my experience the distress caused by loved ones being personally affected. Gearies will continue to do all it can to maintain provision of education for its pupils, and as we are stronger together, I should like on behalf of the Board of Governors, to thank you (this time in advance) for all your own continuing input to the end.
With all good wishes to you and your families
John Pettifer
Chairman of the Board of Governors
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