Fens Primary School
Encyclopedia
Fens Primary School is a mixed primary school and nursery located in the southern area of Hartlepool
, County Durham
, England
. It is overseen by Hartlepool
Local Education Authority
. Around 430 children are educated in ages 3–11.
Fens Primary was, in May 2008, appointed to mentor and advise the failing Clavering Primary School.
The school was placed in the top 5% in the country, in 2006, for the second year in a row.
Fens Primary was awarded the Artsmark in 2007.
The school was last inspected by Ofsted in January 2008, and was awarded an overall performance rating of Grade 1 Outstanding, point one on a four point scale, with pupils making good progress in their academic skills and personal development from very low starting points in the nursery.
High standards continued in 2008-09 when the school scored well above both the national and local average in all measures.
Andy Croft
to spend a week with the year six children to encourage them to be creative with their thoughts about money.
es. Bousfield argued that the increases in packed lunches were a protest against the Government's introduction of healthy meals, promoted by
celebrity chef Jamie Oliver
. This suggestion was, however, rejected by the council. Bousfield was honoured by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown
for exceptional school leadership. She is one of the National College for School Leadership
's 'National Leaders of Education'.
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is overseen by Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
Local Education Authority
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
. Around 430 children are educated in ages 3–11.
History
The school was established as a separate infant and junior school in 1965. In 1985, following the amalgamation of the two schools, Fens Primary School was formed.Fens Primary was, in May 2008, appointed to mentor and advise the failing Clavering Primary School.
Academic standards
Following the March 2004 Ofsted inspection, the school was rated Very Good. The Ofsted report described "excellent leadership" at the school.The school was placed in the top 5% in the country, in 2006, for the second year in a row.
Fens Primary was awarded the Artsmark in 2007.
The school was last inspected by Ofsted in January 2008, and was awarded an overall performance rating of Grade 1 Outstanding, point one on a four point scale, with pupils making good progress in their academic skills and personal development from very low starting points in the nursery.
High standards continued in 2008-09 when the school scored well above both the national and local average in all measures.
The arts
In an imaginative project, the school invited poetPoet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
Andy Croft
Andy Croft (writer)
Andrew Croft is a writer, editor, and poet based in the north-east of England. His work includes Red Letter Days , Red Skies at Night , and Comrade Heart about Randall Swingler....
to spend a week with the year six children to encourage them to be creative with their thoughts about money.
Headteacher
The headteacher is Margaret Bousfield. She courted controversy, in October 2007, when she suggested that children should be charged for bringing in packed lunchPacked lunch
thumb|A typical American bagged lunchthumb|[[Bento]] packed lunchA packed lunch is a lunch prepared at home and carried to be eaten somewhere else, such as school, a workplace, or at an outing...
es. Bousfield argued that the increases in packed lunches were a protest against the Government's introduction of healthy meals, promoted by
Jamie's School Dinners
Jamie's School Dinners is a landmark four-episode documentary series broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK from 23 February to 16 March 2005. The series was recorded between Spring to Winter 2004, in which it featured TV chef Jamie Oliver attempting to improve the quality and nutritional value of school...
celebrity chef Jamie Oliver
Jamie Oliver
James "Jamie" Trevor Oliver, MBE , sometimes known as The Naked Chef, is an English chef, restaurateur and media personality, known for his food-focused television shows, cookbooks and more recently his campaign against the use of processed foods in national schools...
. This suggestion was, however, rejected by the council. Bousfield was honoured by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
for exceptional school leadership. She is one of the National College for School Leadership
National College for School Leadership
The National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services is a British government-funded non-departmental public body which offers head teachers, school leaders and senior children's services leaders opportunities for professional leadership development.- History :Established in 2000...
's 'National Leaders of Education'.
Notable alumni
- Lindsay JohnsonLindsay JohnsonLindsay Johnson is an English footballer, currently playing for Everton Ladies. She has represented England at full international level. Johnson is a versatile defender, with the ability to play in any of the defensive positions.-Early life:...
, footballer who plays for the England women's national football teamEngland women's national football teamThe England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
.