Reference
SDShelton1/5
Title
School logbook for Marston Shelton Primary, latterly known as Shelton Lower School (not indexed)
Date free text
1 Dec 1990 - 23 Mar 2011
Production date
From: 1990 To: 2011
Scope and Content
1990
3 Dec: From today, any child under 5 will receive one third of a pint of milk free until their 5th birthday
7 Dec: Mrs Celia Salusbury appointed to replace Mrs Gordon
1991
12-14 Jan: Office partition removed and re-ercted in the mobile classroom, which is to become library, resource area, staff room, store room and medical room or office. Furniture and equipment also moved
8 Feb: School close due to snow
21 Feb: Mrs Knight, an elderly friend of the school celebrated her 90th birthday
1 Mar: St David’s Day assembly
25 Mar: Visit of dental health visitor
27 Mar: Mrs Diana Guthrie ceases duties as acting head teacher
15 Apr: Mrs Gwen Walpole commences duties as head teacher
4 Sep: Caretaker given a written warning regarding the state of the school
1992
29 Jan: Teaching staff informed that their contracts will not be renewed, as it has been decided to have one full time teacher. Mrs Valerie Bistram is teacher for years 2,3 & 4
[This is the only entry for 1992]
1993
22 Feb: Mrs Gwen Walpole taking a period of absence due to illness; Mrs Diana Guthrie returns as acting head teacher. Mrs Valerie Bistram is teacher for years 2,3 & 4
19 Mar: Visit to Brogborough tip
29 Apr: 94th birthday of Mrs Mary Gillett, former pupil and teacher at Shelton School
30 Apr: Mrs Diana Guthrie ceases duties; Mrs Bistram takes over.
15 Jul: Talk on ‘Stranger Danger’ given by policeman fro Ampthill police station
16 Jul: Outing to Stoke Bruerne
[No entries after 23 July 1993]
1994
January – August: no entries
9 Sep: Several new pupils admitted, expecting to admit a Rumanian who has been adopted
30 Oct: The head teacher of Ridgmont Lower School has been killed in a car crash. One child issued with statement of special educational needs. There are 40 children on the roll.
[These are the only entries for 1994]
1995
Sep [One Entry only]
Double temporary classroom built during the holidays. The toilet block has been completely renovated; work not yet completed. Old building has been re-wired.
1996
Sep: Ceilings of the old building have been completely replaced; workmen are still on site installing a sink in the office. Have 15 new children starting; now have about 45 children
Oct: Parent has been helping to re-site the library. Parish council is to donate £2,000 for a new television, video equipment and a carpet for the library. Had harvest service and donated all the food to Bechar (Bedford homeless charity)
Dec: Planted a magnolia in memory of Rhona Taylor. Christmas concert. Presentation to Mrs Goodey who has completed 25 years’ service in the school.
1997
Jan: Very cold – restricting the time the children are outside. Head teacher taking early retirement in March
Feb: Consideration given to closing the school swimming pool
Mar: Rotary Club funded an opera workshop. Year 4 spent a day at Broadmead Lower School working on drama. Interviews held for a new head teacher and Margaret Janes appointed. Retirement of Gwen Walpole.
22 May: Comments relating to Ofsted inspection. Year 2 children have taken Key Stage 1 SATS. Elderly friends have been to school for lunch on two occasions. Reverend Chesworth has visited twice to take assemblies. Whole school photograph taken.
21 Aug: Second half of the summer term included football coaching, trip to Woburn Safari Park and sports day. Numbers are down to 31 in September
6 Dec: Staffing. Visit from Athena Theatre. National Tree Week – 50 bushes planted on school grounds. Rehearsals for Christmas concert.
1998
24 Jan: No plans to close the school, but budget cuts due to reduction in number of pupils. Successful book week
1 May: Number of pupils now 32. Head teacher now teaching class 1 0.8 of the time.
3 Sep: Margaret Goodey and Doreen Shaw have both retired after long service at the school. Swimming pool not opened over the summer because of finances. Parents are determined to open the pool in 1999. Successful summer fete raised £1,000. Now have internet and email. Successful bid for funding after school clubs, if staffing can be found.
30 Oct: New non-teaching assistants invaluable. Head teacher leaving at the end of term, to be succeeded by Mr Jim Smart. Literacy hour.
1999
9 Jun: [first entry] Long tern picture remains unclear. Literacy hour flexibly interpreted but enjoyed. Mufti Day held in aid of Comic Relief. Trip to the Shuttleworth Collection. Training for national numeracy strategy.
11 Aug: ‘..this school has rarely settled to an organised routine in the past ten years…’ Main targets are to recruit children, clarify policies and schemes of work and giving a good education. Staffing is 2.3 teachers, 12 hours secretary, 15 hours caretaker and 15 hours classroom assistant.
2000
6 Feb: 33 pupils on school roll. Makeover of the wild garden and mending pond; successful Christmas production; involvement with Marston millennium bulb project; new climbing frame in school hall
2001
Sep: Part time teacher 0.3 – Jane South commenced duties Jan 2001. Playgound has been completely re-laid; swimming pool area re-developed into an early years playspace. Now have 6 personal computers. Office has been re-furnished. Numbers improve gradually. Classroom assistant hours increased to 50 per week with the aid of external funding. Excellent chair of governors and good PTA contribute to overall wellbeing.
2002-2004 No entries
2005
20 Sep: Mention of international events. Ofsted report in February 2002 'qualified seal of approval'. Numbers reached nearly 60 in summer 2004 and a successful bid for funding enabled a new large ‘temporary’ classroom to be built with library and disabled toilet. Details of classes and teachers and other staff. New pupil yesterday made the number on the school roll 70. Lists future uncertainties and challenges. All classes now have broadband internet and there are 15 personal computers and 4 laptops (for staff) in use.
2006-2009 No entries
2010
6 Jun: Retirement of Linda Stewart. Teacher Jo Hearn left for a full time post as a youth outreach worker. September 2009 was the opening of a new building and welcoming of 3-year-olds to new nursery department. There have been two OFSTED inspections since 2005. Comments on local government re-organisation to Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire, how this affects the school system, and to where the leavers from Shelton Lower will move on. Possibilities of change to a two-tier education system.
2011
Mar: List of staff and governors when Jim Smart arrived as head teacher who are still in post as he retires.
23 Mar: Connie White has been appointed as acting head in the first instance, to replace Jim Smart. Talk of becoming an ‘academy’. Number on roll totals 74, including the nursery.
Exent
1 volume
Closed under GDPR
Level of description
item
Closed until
2107