Anlaby Primary School
Ambitious – Proud - Successful
www.anlabyprimaryschool.co.uk
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 01482 653077
First Lane
Anlaby
Hull
HU10 6UE
Head Teacher: Mr. A. Cornwall
Deputy Head Teacher: Mrs A. Woodcock
[email protected]
July 2016
Dear Parent/Carer,
Final newsletter
By the time you receive this there will be little under a week to go until the end of the school
year. I know I’m getting old, because it doesn’t seem five minutes since last September! It has
turned out to be quite a year all in all, with the usual mixture of highs and lows to look back
on.
Inevitably, this newsletter will be a little more reflective than usual; my time here is almost
done too. It has been a privilege to be head teacher here since 2002, and to have been a part
of so many learning journeys – children and adults alike – over the last 15 years. I am
especially proud of the fact that, almost without exception, visitors comment on the ‘feel’ of
the place. Clearly something we as a staff group take for granted is not to be found
everywhere.
For me, the most important focus has been on every child’s social and personal development
and to help them deal with the very real pressures of being a child in the 21 st century. Helping
them to become independent, collaborative and resilient has been every bit as important as
them learning ‘stuff’ (because the ‘stuff’ often changes,) whilst developing a good character is
a constant. Again, something that draws very frequent comment from visitors into school or
when we are out on visits or taking part in competitions is what fantastic ambassadors our –
your – children are for the school. I know all my colleagues arrange visits with confidence,
knowing that the children know exactly how to behave in any situation.
Day to day life in school is always varied, and never without its challenges. Changing
behaviours where necessary can be a long (and at times frustrating) process, with no
guarantee of success. I think overall we win more than we lose, and the vast majority of the
children never put a foot wrong. It is this, I feel, that underpins the strong sense of community
here.
Anlaby Primary School rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, February 2014
Thank you for all your support over the years – even when on the odd occasion I haven’t seen
eye to eye with a parent or carer we have generally managed to ‘agree to disagree’ – but more
often a sharing of views and perspectives has helped resolve any issues.
Thanks also to all my colleagues, past and present, for all their hard work and care. Working in
a school is a demanding role, with the demands increasing on an almost daily basis. The level
of commitment here is exceptional, be it in the classrooms, in the offices, in the kitchens or
with the cleaning and caretaking. Mr May is inheriting a great team.
I am not retiring as such – not an option, apparently! Come September, I shall be doing
something different every day, mixing training, inspection, consultancy and possibly some
teaching too. As one of my roles will still be Anlaby-based, we may still bump into each other
in Morrison’s. I hope we do. One of the peculiarities of this job is that you rarely find out what
happened next – although by chance I learned an ex-pupil is on his way to Cambridge
University in the autumn, for example.
The past 15 years here have flown by – I never really intended to stay this long – but then I
never expected to be appointed in the first place! Coming back to my own primary school (or
infant and junior as it was then) has always seemed slightly surreal. Who knows, maybe one of
our current children will do the same at some point in the future (although I suspect the way
schools are organised may be very different in twenty or thirty years’ time.)
I am sure you will welcome Mr May in September. The school will be almost at capacity, with
two classes in each year group and somewhere close to 360 children, so taking on something
as big as this will be quite daunting, but incredibly exciting at the same time. I know I’m leaving
the place in good hands.
So for one last time I wish you, on behalf of everyone here, a happy (and hopefully sunny)
summer break.
With my very best wishes to you all for the future,
Alan Cornwall
School re-opens on Tuesday 6th September at the usual times.
Anlaby Primary School rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, February 2014