Retirement ….

At the end of the Summer Term, I retired as a school governor of the federation to which Fletching School belongs. My place has been taken by the very impressive new vicar of Forest Row, who was also a teacher for many years. A distinct improvement it seems to me. This retirement has made me think about the schools I have served as a governor over the last few decades.

In 1985 I was ordained in Manchester Cathedral, and with a sparkly new dog collar, I hit the streets of Stretford. The school my vicar wished me on as governor, was a typical suburban Manchester primary with a two storey, red brick building from the 1930s. At the time there was a TV series called ‘Knight Rider’, with a hero called Michael Knight, and a black sports car with an artificial intelligence called ‘Kit’. The head teacher, a great practical joker, had told the children that ‘Michael Knight’s brother’ was going to be taking the assemblies. There was considerable disappointment when I turned up, especially on a bicycle rather in than a black TransAm.

I was moved to Salford in 1988 with a brief to build a new church and family centre in conjunction with the local, St George’s C E Primary School. As Chair of Governors, I remember the challenges of weekly break-ins, drug dealers in the playground and family fireworks of various kinds. I also remember with satisfaction the opportunity to have played my part in supporting an utterly irrepressible head teacher, Vicki, and an inspirational staff team who, against all odds, continued to run a happy, successful school. Warwickshire offered me my first experience of rural schooling. I was Chair of Governors of every school my children attended. They hated this, as it meant they couldn’t get away with anything (“Honestly, Dad, it’s a ‘no homework’ week …”. “No, it isn’t”.). It was during this time that I also had my first experience of the newly created Ofsted. The inspection team behaved very badly and, following an investigation, had their Ofsted accreditation removed. The school concerned continued with apparent serenity and gradually, and quietly, attended to the unnecessary emotional damage inflicted on the teaching team.

After a bit of a gap, I returned to being a governor when I arrived in Fletching. I was very aware that an important battle had just been won by the community, and Fletching School had been rescued from the threat of closure.

I am writing this in the 200th anniversary year of our school, with 150 years of our current buildings having been celebrated last year. It is a joy to note that with Fletching now part of the Bluebell Federation, along with Chailey and Forest Row Primary Schools, and with the astonishing growth in the number of children in the parish, we are unlikely to hear any more talk of closure.

My experience of all these schools was, and is, one of creating great learning environments for their students. I am proud to be part of a society which ensures that all children have the right to access free education and, like all school governors, I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute to supporting this amazing social project and national aspiration