Lodge Lane Infant School - iceni Post News from the North folk & South folk

>July Events / Business Editorials / charities / Events in Norfolk and Suffolk / Health & Wellbeing July 9, 2020

Local community rewards Lodge Lane Infant School for its ‘amazing’ lockdown support

Teachers and support staff at Lodge Lane Infant School in Old Catton have been presented with a school plaque and individual medals from the local community in recognition of their dedication to supporting children and families during lockdown.

More than 60 families contributed to a collection to surprise staff with the thank you gifts. Vicki Bowden, parent of a child in Year 1 [Alex] who attends Lodge Lane Infant School, part of the Wensum Trust, organised the collection after the idea was sparked during a conversation at the school gates.

Vicki explained: “The commitment from all the staff at Lodge Lane has been really overwhelming during these difficult times. We have friends and family members with children at other schools and they have not received the same level of support. It has been clear that Lodge Lane has not just done the same as everywhere else, it has really gone above and beyond. I don’t think I have ever heard so many positive things said about one school. When we were talking about the collection we would normally do at the end of term for the teachers we decided that this time we wanted to do something for the whole school and for everyone in the team to thank them for all their help.”

The collection was promoted through a community Facebook group and lots of local families agreed the entire school community should be celebrated and rewarded.

Ali Mathewson, whose son Lewie attends the school, said: “Lodge Lane has been fantastic. All the teachers have gone above and beyond. We are still home schooling due to me being higher risk but the teachers have still made sure we feel part of school life regardless.”

Trudii Isherwood, who has a child in Year Two at the school, added: “There are no words to describe just how appreciative we are. Max has been safe and happy, which is important enough, but the support has also meant that I can continue to work as a nurse, so the school’s amazing efforts have also benefitted the wider community.”

The staff at Lodge Lane were presented with their medals and the plaque in a surprise celebration that took place in the school’s main hall, whilst adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Beccy Dewing, Head Teacher at Lodge Lane Infant School, said: “The staff were so delighted with this kind gesture from our parents. Everyone has worked so hard to make the best of a very difficult situation. It’s been so challenging for children, parents and staff but the approach we took clearly worked. We tried to keep the learning side of things as close to normal as possible, at the same time as not putting unnecessary pressure on families to have to do everything that we suggested. The home learning photos and records that we have seen have shown a huge range of fantastic learning that has been taking place and we are amazed by the creative and fun activities that parents have come up with. We have all enjoyed trying out new methods of communication with our families and feel that we have developed an even closer bond with them through virtual chats and stories. I feel proud of how the Lodge Lane school community has risen to the challenge of this pandemic.”

About The Wensum Trust

The Wensum Trust is a not-for-profit, multi-academy, education Trust which currently comprises 11 schools across Norfolk; all of which are free to attend, non-selective and open to all.

The 11 Wensum Trust schools range from nurseries through to sixth form, creating a complete education journey from early years to sixteen plus. Arranged into three geographical hubs across Norfolk, the City Hub serves Hellesdon, Old Catton and the wider North Norwich area. The Rural Hub serves Acle and surrounding villages, and the Coastal Hub serves Wells, Burnham Market and surrounding villages on the North Norfolk coast. All three hubs work closely together to offer a rich and diverse range of experiences for every child within every Trust school, and to provide seamless transitions for children, and their parents and carers, as they progress through each learning stage.

The Trust has a track record of bringing about rapid and sustained school improvements and in achieving successful student outcomes. It features two ‘outstanding’ rated infant schools and, on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE), it runs the Norfolk English Hub from Heather Avenue Infant School. As one of only 34 English Hubs nationwide, this promotes the love of reading and supports Primary schools across Norfolk to provide excellent phonics and early language teaching.

The Trust’s ethos is that education is far broader and deeper than the national curriculum and examination programmes of study. It has the highest aspirations for all children within its schools and is driven by student outcomes and the desire to develop engaged, happy children, not just by exam results and a fixed academic focus. It works with strategic partners including the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation, North Walsham Rugby Club and Wells Sea Cadets to enrich education and to provide inspiring, exciting opportunities to develop high achieving, confident, healthy, caring and fulfilled members of society.

www.wensumtrust.org.uk