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Written and produced by St Mark’s & The Valley Schools
St Mark’s School looks to a bright future:
Ofsted Inspection praises new school leadership
issue 29
in this iSSue q St Mark’s School News s The PTAs of Larkhall y Valley School News u Talking Politics c WWII Remembered p A Showcase of Theatrical Talent
The Larkhall News is a not-for-profit enterprise published by St Mark’s School, Bath. Our next issue will be out in the Autumn of 2015. Editorial: Contact us on 01225 478416 or at St Mark’s School on 01225 312661. Advertising: Contact Paula Hawkins, St Mark’s School, Bay Tree Road, Larkhall, Bath, BA1 6ND Tel: 01225 312661 or email, hawkinsp@st-marks.org.uk The Larkhall News is available online at: www.st-marks.org.uk Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. The publisher does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracies or errors in content. Whilst every reasonable care is taken, the publisher shall not be held liable for any loss occasioned by the failure of an advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions or misprints.
Welcome “One of the marvellous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn't as individuals. When we pool our strength and share the work and responsibility, we can welcome many people.” Jean Vanier For those that attended the Larkhall Festival recently, you will know what a truly fabulous weekend it was! There really was something for everyone and a break in the weather made all of the events that much more enjoyable. Our thanks must go to the Festival Committee, and in particular Lesley Bees, who provided the hard work, determination and tenacity to make sure that this Festival was even better than the last (is that possible?!). As is now tradition, St Mark’s opened its doors to the community of Larkhall with our annual art and craft day on Saturday 2nd May, exhibiting the many talents of our student artists and providing our younger audience with a flavour of the many artistic opportunities available to them at St Mark’s. Thank you to the teachers, support staff, governors and members of our PTA who took the time, away from their own weekends, to ensure that the day was such a success. It was a delight to welcome so many young families to the school and we look forward to another showcase next year! Our feature on pages 8-9 delves much deeper into the work of the local PTAs and all that they achieve in a quest to make school a better place for all. We interviewed the Chairs of St Saviour’s Schools and St Mark’s Parent Teacher Associations and found their passion and enthusiasm infectious. Please do support your school PTA at every opportunity. They are, without doubt, the un-sung heroes of our community. It is also a pleasure to formally introduce our new local Councillors, Lin Patterson and Rob Appleyard to our Larkhall News readers. We look forward to working with them on future editions of our magazine and highlighting the work of our community to make Larkhall a better, safer and happier place to live and work. Last, but by no means least, a huge thank you to local photographer, Nell Mallia, for taking our front cover photograph! Nell has just launched a new business in Larkhall, specialising in capturing wonderful moments for families and couples and we are delighted to have been able to work with her on this issue. Wishing you a wonderful summer!
Paula Tel: 01225 312661 or email hawkinsp@st-marks.org.uk
St Mark’s school by Barnaby Ash, Headteacher
Wow, what a year! Schools are busy places and the world of education is fast-paced. That being the case, this year has flown by and it has been a journey of excitement, progression and momentum. As I write, Year 11 students are hard at work, preparing themselves for more public examinations. Of course, these examinations are incredibly important, which is why some schools, mistakingly fall into the bracket of becoming an examsfactory. Whilst there is a strong focus and much importance placed on academia at St Mark’s, we also place a great deal of emphasis on personal, social and cultural development, a holistic approach that develops people! And it is this that makes me feel most proud as I review the year in my head prior to writing this article. Whether it be students raising money for a charitable cause; students offering their views on our new PE changing-rooms; the excitement of our students embarking on their Duke of Edinburgh expedition; the motivation of our Year 11 students as they approach their trip to build houses in Mexico; the enthusiasm exuded by our students involved in the school production of the Wizard of Oz at the Rondo Theatre, as production day draws nearer; or just simply the effusive praise we continually receive from guests, visitors and members of the public who interact with our students. There is much to feel proud about, as we have the pleasure of seeing of our young people grow, shine and develop. I feel very lucky to be part of such a cohesive, ambitious and supportive school community. Whilst we know that St Mark’s is a very good school, it is always reassuring when other people tell you that we are doing a fine job; especially when ‘these people’ are people who know what they are taking about and people who are able to take an independent and external view of the school and compare it to other schools nationally. We have been lucky enough to have had such a view taken, on two occasions this year. Firstly in March of this year through our SIAMS inspection and then in May through our Section 5 Ofsted inspection. Both inspections stated that St Mark’s was a ‘Good’ school. They both were also very complimentary of the school and, equally importantly, extremely positive about our wonderful students. It has been reassuring too, to hear and read the views of our parents and carers, who came forward in great numbers to give their views on the school, which also have been extremely positive. We are very lucky to have such loyal and supportive parents working with us. St Mark’s is an up-and-coming school with real momentum behind us. We’re on an upward trajectory and the school is the ‘place to be’. I feel so proud to be leading the school into the next phase of its future and humbled that so many people want us to achieve the great things we aspire to. Over the past few weeks and months, it has been a pleasure to show-case St Mark’s School to local families. With Year 5 (almost Year 6) school-age children beginning to make decisions about secondary school choices, I am always very happy to show prospective parents around the school or indeed local people who are just interested in what their local secondary school is like. Should you wish to visit the school, please contact the Headteacher’s Personal Assistant, Mrs Tracey Tigwell on tigwellt@st-marks.org.uk or telephone: (01225) 312661. I look forward to welcoming you personally.
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Whilst we know that St Mark's is a very good school, it is always reassuring when other people tell you that we are doing a fine job; especially when ‘these people’ are people who know what they are taking about and people who are able to take an independent and external view of the school and compare it to other schools nationally.
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Take a closer look at St Mark’s this autumn An invitation to our Autumn Open Events Come along and see the whole school in action. Meet the Headteacher, Mr Barnaby Ash, and hear of his ambitions and vision for the students of St Mark’s School.
Open Evening Tuesday 29 September 6.30pm - 9.00pm Main Open Morning Thursday 1 October 9.00am - 11.00am Drop-in Open Mornings Every Friday in October 9.00am - 11.00am Saturday Open Morning Saturday 10 October 10.00am - 12.00pm
St Mark’s School looks to the future as Ofsted praises ‘effective leadership’ Key report highlights:
St Mark’s School was rated ‘good’ across the following key areas: leadership and management, behaviour and safety of students, quality of teaching and the achievement of students.
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Teachers have high expectations of their students, wanting students to enjoy their learning and providing activities that inspire them.
Inspectors visiting the school recognised the positive impact the new Headteacher has had since his appointment this academic year, praising his commitment to provide the best range of opportunities for all students and the support from the teaching leadership team.
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Achievements are rising: the proportion of students who gain five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and Maths is increasing.
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The range of subjects in the school’s curriculum is broad, flexible and responds to the aspirations of students.
The inspection comes at an exciting time for the Larkhall school. With a new Headteacher on board, Ofsted recognised the significant academic improvements that students were making with progress well ahead of national averages. A new post-16 offer, in partnership with St Gregory’s, is also allowing St Mark’s to take its offering to the next level in its aim to be the school of choice for the community. Making the most of their small class sizes, plans are underway to provide every child with a personalised learning and careers programme which will set them up on the path to future success. The school will also be extending its extra-curricular offering for local primary school pupils to support the transition to secondary school and provide unique enrichment opportunities.
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Students value the many opportunities they have to extend their learning beyond the school day by taking part in sports, music and drama.
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Good careers advice to plan a personal route through education, training and employment is a benefit for all students.
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Behaviour is good; students treat staff and each other with respect and show positive attitudes to their learning.
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Governors are effective. They hold leaders to account and are actively involved.
Headteacher, Mr Barnaby Ash, commented: “We are proud to officially be recognised as a ‘good’ school. Ofsted’s validation confirms that we are a school where children thrive and reach their full academic and personal potential through a combination of quality teaching, a personalised curriculum, enriching opportunities and high expectations. We are delighted with the outcome of the report; this provides a strong platform from which to excel and realise our ambitious plans for the future.” The report comes hot on the heels of a glowing SIAMS (Statutory Inspection for Anglican and Methodist Schools) report, under the most demanding framework seen for school inspections. The school was subject to a two-day inspection in March, in a similar process to Ofsted, and the recently released report praised the school for their ‘commitment to students’ well-being and academic development.’ Comments from the SIAMS team noted the very significant improvement at St Mark’s School and the school’s commitment to further raise attainment and progress. Read the full Ofsted and SIAMS reports at www.st-marks.org.uk
A picture speaks
a thousand words In a break from tradition, we thought it would be fun to have a look back at the recent academic year and re-visit some of the amazing adventures that our students have had (with a few still to come!). 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.
A new academic year and a new Headteacher, Mr Barnaby Ash, joins St Mark’s School Children from St Stephen’s, Swainswick and St Saviour’s join us for a Year 6 Taster Day Pupils demonstrate their skills at our annual Year 5 Football Festival Just some of this year’s award winners at our annual Awards Evening with special guest Cllr Ian Gilchrist Jollification and some innovative learning at Literacy Week in February Students have a go at re-creating Paul Scott’s iconic plates at the Holburne Museum Labour parliamentary candidate, Ollie Middleton talks party politics with Year 8 in the run up to the General Election Children from the Valley Schools join us for a Year 5 Taster Day to find out what life as a St Mark’s student is like The Design Ventura competition team who were competing for a place in the nationals with their own take of the eco-friendly mobile phone holder and charger New Sixth first birthday celebrations Year 7s go on an adventurous retreat at Kilve Court Year 7s at our ‘Getting to know you day’ at Alice Park The Year 10 Careers Fair was supported by over 20 local businesses and organisations providing valuable advice to students ahead of their post-16 options St Mark’s Day Celebrations in April Business Breakfast helps small businesses to sharpen brand awareness with guest speaker Andy Fuller of DesignBull St Mark’s Re-Build Mexico team. The adventure begins in earnest this June! The 45th annual Christmas Community Party at St Mark’s GCSE Geographers at Minehead Festive Bake-Off for Julian House Lantern Parade at the Holburne Museum Larkhall Festival Fun at St Mark’s School ASDAN team plant daffodil bulbs to support Bath in Bloom This year’s hotly anticipated St Mark’s production, Wizard of Oz at the Rondo Theatre this July Students celebrate two independent inspections of their school
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Behind every successful school is often an army of parents, friends and helpers who work tirelessly behind the scenes to raise much needed additional funding and provide essential day-to-day support. We decided that it was time that they received the public recognition that they deserve, together with a look at some of the many things they do for our community of schools.
SMSA - St
Mark’s School Association by Freddie-Eloise Year 9 at St Mark’s School The SMSA (St Mark’s School Association) fund many things for St Mark’s School from ice lollies for the students on Sports Day to refreshments for many events throughout the year, prizes for competitions, facilities to improve our school, and Year 11 Prom amongst many. I asked Nadia, the Chair of the PTA, what fundraising events the SMSA and the school hold. This year, they have supported the school with a BBQ for students during St Mark’s Day, the annual Pie and Quiz night, a bar at the school drama productions and were involved in a lot of the organisation at the school summer fête that was held last year, and the Larkhall Festival Art and Craft Day every May. The PTA also welcomed new and existing parents to a BBQ, held in September, to welcome the new Headteacher, Mr Ash. Every year, the SMSA aim to raise approximately £500-£1000 in total. St Mark’s School is a relatively small community so it is a lot harder to raise large amounts of money and takes a lot of time and effort to keep up the momentum. This is made more complicated by the lack of traditional ‘school pick up times’ as parents do not have a natural opportunity to meet and discuss events or ideas as they would perhaps have in a primary school setting. The SMSA meet once a term for their official meetings but have found that through these, they have become good friends outside of the PTA. The SMSA meet socially at each others’ homes or other venues and share their experiences of bringing up teenagers! This summer, the SMSA will donate to the school’s Year 11 Prom, to be held at Bailbrook House Hotel. The funds help to support the overall cost for students and provide the added extras, like the photo booth, to capture the fun. The SMSA feel that this is an important part of their role to celebrate the achievements of students and wish them the best for their post-16 studies or employment. The SMSA is not only great for our school community, but also for the people who are involved in the SMSA. Nadia said that she has made many excellent friends that she would not have met without the PTA. The PTA decide on what to buy for the school by taking votes. Everyone involved has to agree on what is bought however, most of the time, there is agreement with reasonable requests. They aim to support the school with big and small projects and will work together with students and staff to make sure that they spend the money wisely.
behind every school is a Pictured from top: Members of the St Mark’s School Association (SMSA) at the ‘Meet the Headteacher’ event; photo-booth memories of the 2014 St Mark’s Prom; the St Mark’s Summer Fair
Heroic PTA!
FOSSI -Friends
of St Saviour’s Infants with St Saviour’s Juniors Interview by Charlie B and Eva B, Year 2 at St Saviour’s Infants
Q What are your names and what do you do on the PTA? My name is Dionne and this is Fiona and we are Co-Chairs of the St Saviour’s Infants PTA. Dionne is also Co-Chair of the Juniors’ PTA. Q How long have you been on the PTA? Dionne – I have been a member for around 13 years, on and off. Fiona – I have been a member for four years. Q How many members are there in the school PTA? There are eight members on the Junior PTA with others parents helping and with supporting events and projects. There are six main members on the Infants PTA.
Q When and why did you decide to join the school PTAs together? We wanted to help support the schools and make things better for the children and it was also a nice way to meet new people and make friends. It made sense to work together as the schools are so close. It helps to bring them together and means that there are more of us to organise things. We split all of the funds raised equally and also donate a share to charity. This year, we are supporting the South West Children’s Hospice. Q What do you do as the PTA for our school? We organise lots of events for the children and parents and we raise money for things such as school trips, ukuleles, playground equipment, even the pirate ship! Q How do you raise money for the school? Every year, we hold two key fundraising events, the Summer Fair, which we hold jointly, and a Christmas Fair at each school. We also hold a joint Quiz Night which is always very popular. We have held a Bingo night and Italian Café and every year, we go to Castle Combe racetrack for a picnic. The children (and Dads!) can take their bikes and scooters for a race around the track. It’s really good fun and a very sociable event where we get to catch up with one another away from school. We also regularly organise disco or film nights at the Juniors, a Christmas Fair, Ladies’ Nights and the Easter Cake Sale and Bonnet Parade.
Pictured above: Fiona and Dionne with our St Saviour’s news reporters. Pictured below: Cycling fun at the St Saviour’s Castle Combe picnic.
One year, we asked the Dads to organise a Gentlemens’ Night and put Mr O’Shea and Ed in charge of organising! We didn’t think they’d pull it off but they did and had a great night with curry, games, Scalextric races and computer games. Q What have you bought for the school? At the Infants, we have bought the Pirate Ship, helped to make changes to the Library and bought ukuleles for music lessons. We have also helped to pay towards the new school website and subsidised trips and the Playpod. At the Juniors, we have paid for six new mosaics to be installed in the new building. The children designed and made these themselves out of tiles. We have helped to pay for the trip to @Bristol, and an end of year autograph book for every Year 6 and the Year 6 end of term party at the Larkhall Football Club. We are also saving a large sum of money to help pay for landscaping the children’s play areas once the new building has been completed. Q Which event is the most fun? (Both) Definitely the after-school picnic and play at Castle Combe. That’s a really nice event that brings the whole school together as a community.
St Stephen’s Primary
Predictably Unpredictable
A year in the life of a new headteacher… by Andy Bowman
Summer In Swainswick Stunning views, a king and queen, scrumptious food, delectable ales, ice-cold Pimms, tug-o-war, barbecue, drumming, handcrafts, plants, fair-trade goodies, fabulous raffle prizes and much, much more…all to be found in Upper Swainswick this month. Swainswick School and Village fete on Saturday 20th June promises to be yet another magical, mystical afternoon. Perched high above Bath, this beautiful country-fair will provide families and friends with a summer fete experience unlike any other. By tradition a Royal Pair will open proceedings, alongside a host of drummers, there will be Maypole Dancing, Splat the Ratting, lashings of hot-tea, home-made cakes and sandwiches, a BBQ roasting goodies, real ale, ice-cream and laughter and good times for free! Many locals, parents and children dress up in anticipation of this wonderful and unique afternoon. No commercial products are available, instead it is stuffed full of purely handmade, traditional and creative crafts and goodies. Join us for this celebration of Swainswick School and Village held, by the generosity and joyfulness of the wonderful Revered Joyce, in her and Ben’s beautiful garden at St Mary’s House, Innox Lane, Upper Swainswick, BA1 8DB. Swainswick School is the smallest school in B&NES and is often overlooked by locals, hidden as it is - up Innox Lane, and nestled on the hills above Larkhall, yet lots of children attend this primary school and many parents enjoy its caring and nurturing educational ethos. The village of Swainswick is also small and tight-knit, the community supporting each other in times of joy and in times of crisis. Swainswick Summer Fete, Saturday 20th June, 12-3pm, St Mary’s House, Innox Lane, Bath, BA1 8DB. Please note NO DOGS - except for guide dogs - are allowed and all donations and enquiries please, send to: hannah@snook-design.com.
Taking up a headship in a new school is an exciting and nervewracking business. Leading a school whilst knowing less about it than just about everybody within a 2 mile radius is unusual to say the least, and as a result the first few weeks were busy but brilliant. It was made considerably easier by the fact that the people here are great – the children, staff, governors, parents – and I was made to feel very welcome and at home. Autumn was all about getting to know the school better. I met with staff, spent time in classrooms and tried to develop a daily routine which enabled me to be accessible at the right times for the right people (an ongoing challenge!). By the end of the Autumn, I had been officially commissioned with a service at St Stephen’s Church, I had experienced the fun, warmth and celebration of a St Stephen’s Community Christmas, and we had a clear School Development Plan in place to guide us into the new year. Spring was exciting – new year, new season, new plan. The days and weeks were developing a more familiar rhythm, and I really enjoyed continuing to learn about the school and community – our excellent links with the other local schools, our enterprise project with Alice Park, Valley Added, numerous sporting activities all helping me to broaden my perspective and begin to build new partnerships while developing existing ones. Now, in the Summer Term, we are striking that familiar balance between bringing one year to a close whilst gearing up for the next. A long-awaited Ofsted visit is now behind us. They recognised all of the things that we believe are great about our school, and ‘rubber stamped’ our future plans to make it even better. We have a shared vision for the future, and I am thrilled and excited to be part of such a vibrant, interesting and fun community.
Talkingpolitics This May, we welcomed two new councillors to the community. St Mark’s School news reporters, Rosie and Maddie, met with Cllr Lin Patterson (right) and Cllr Rob Appleyard (below). Q How long have you lived in the area? I have only moved to the area very recently but already am really impressed by the warmth and community spirit here. You don’t often experience the ‘village’ feel in an area of Bath and it’s very nice. Q Why did you want to be a councillor? I have been a Councillor for twelve years, twelve on a Parish and eight on B&NES simultaneously. In that time I have represented the views of local people and businesses to make a difference and improve things for all. I feel that the council has deliverd a lot in that time to make Bath a better place and it’s great to be a part of that. Q What would you consider to be the most important issues locally? Without a doubt, the issue that faces Larkhall and Lambridge most is traffic, air pollution. The London Road has always been an issue and until there is an alternative plan put in place to and divert unnessasary traffic from it and reduce rat-running through the area, there will always be this issue. Q How do you envisage changing that? There is a proposal that we have been working on for some time to create an east of Bath Park and Ride, at the rail junction of the London/Trowbridge line, linking the car park acccess road further to connect the A46 and the A36. We are also looking at the building of a new train station, called Bath Parkway, to morph to a Rail and Ride so that commuters can access the city via the rail network in 4 minutes which would be a great addition Q What has the first month as a councillor been like? It’s been very good. There is a lot to do, particularly with a new administration in the Council. I am sitting on two of the Council committees as a Liberal Democrat representative, the Development Management (planning in old terms) and I am Chair of the Planning, Housing and Economic Development Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel. I have an interest in planning and housing as I also sit as a Director for Curo (formerly Somer Housing) and Bath & North East Somerset Carers’ Centre. I firmly believe that whether you are paying a rent to a landlors or a mortgage to a bank, it is still your home and you have the right to call it so. Social housing is often stigmitised. I feel that this is an unfair reflection. Q There are two councillors for Larkhall and Lambridge, yourself and Lin Patterson. Do you envisage working closely with Cllr Lin Patterson? Absolutely. Lin and I have differering views on many things but we also have many shared values and will be working a great deal together over the coming years to improve the local area for residents, this is what the community have asked of us. For Lin, much of local politics is new and I hope to be an available support as she finds her feet.
Q How long have you lived in the area? We moved to the area some time ago and are established residents. Q Why did you want to be a councillor? I was involved in the campaigns to save the local bus service and the toilets in Larkhall but felt that the support from local councillors could have been better and that was one reason that I thought I could try it myself. The second reason is that I am a Quaker and part of this is putting your beliefs into action and working for equality and integrity and peace and truth. Q What inspired you to become involved in the campaigns? I have always been responsive to needs. I trained as a nurse and am now a psychotherapist. Since the 1960s, I have responded to political needs and, when in the US, campaigned against the war in Vietnam and for civil rights but never on a local level before, it was always more national or international issues. I was already of a mind to care but a friend asked for help in campaigning to stop the bus company from taking away the bus service so we formed a little campaign group and things took off from there. The campaign lasted over two years but finally, the council agreed they would subsidise a 30-minute service, so that was a great victory. Q What would you consider to be the important issues locally? The main things people seem to be worried about is safe cycling and traffic on the London Road. There is a proposal to slightly widen the canal tow-path and provide a cycle route into the centre of Bath but pedestrians have a legitimate worry that they won’t be safe. We would also like to open up the access path between Cloud Nine Café and Alice Park so that families don’t have to go via the London Road and Gloucester Road. Q What has the first month as a councillor been like? It has been absolutely amazing and I have loved it because there is so much to learn! From the scope of the Council and my responsibilities there to speaking to local residents and learning what is important to them and what will make a difference to their lives. Q There are two councillors for Larkhall and Lambridge, yourself and Rob Appleyard. Do you envisage working closely with Cllr Rob Appleyard? We’re both covering the same territory and we are working together in a lot of ways. I want to be able to keep my independence when needed but, at the same time, work together on matters that are important to local residents. We are currently working towards setting up a Credit Union outlet at New Oriel Hall once a week. The Credit Union will provide a place for people to manage their savings and loans in a way that supports those facing financial difficulties.
memories of
Wwii
Former Lambridge councillor, Bryan Chalker, looks back on the Bath Blitz of 1942 and recalls his own vivid childhood memories in Kent.
Seventy years have now passed since the end of the Second World War (1939 – 1945) but there are still those who remember the Bath Blitz of April 1942, when Nazi bombers unleashed two days of relentless death and destruction on this small city. Known as the Baedeker Raids, between April 25-27, the three German bombing missions left 417 people dead, more than 1,000 injured and over 19,000 buildings hit by low flying bombers. A total of 1,100 were seriously damaged or destroyed. Larkhall was spared the brunt of destruction, although the Larkhall Inn was affected by machine gun fire and this would probably have been on the Monday morning of the third and final raid on 27 April. The Luftwafe is said to have dropped a total of 400 high explosive bombs and more than 4,000 incendiary devices on Bath. Lambridge had taken some precautions in the form of corrugated iron external Anderson shelters and those slightly odd wood and wire cage devices for interior use, known as Morrison shelters. Herbert MacVicar, of Alice Park fame, had underground air-raid shelters constructed close to The Elms and not too far from where the tennis-courts are situated. Queen Mary visited The Elms on at least two occasions during World War Two and she would have been aware of the air-raid precautions taken by Bertie MacVicar. Once the war was over, however, these underground shelters were filled in. Who knows what an archaeological dig might reveal? THE WAR IS OVER On May 8, 1945 – VE Day (Victory in Europe) – the Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany so, more than three years after the Baedeker Raids on Bath, the awful conflict was finally over.
The Mickey Mouse gas-mask provided to the young Bryan Chalker in WWII
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When the drone of Junkers and Dornier aircraft finally coloured the air over Bath on April 25 and unleashed their fury, Bathonians knew it was for real.
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children of Larkhall. We simply had no real comprehension of what was going on and even my Mickey Mouse gas-mask (pictured) was basically regarded as a ‘toy’, even though I was made to carry mine everywhere in its little cardboard box. I still have vivid memories of searchlights criss-crossing the night sky and clearly remember the eerie wail of the air-raid sirens and distinctive whine of a bomb as it zeroed in on a target. Playtime for me as a 2 year old in 1942 was donning an over-sized ARP (Air Raid Police) helmet and trundling my little wooden wheelbarrow along Mill Lane and Wells Park Road in search of shrapnel (bomb fragments and aircraft debris), some of which I still have to this day. The Sydenham of my childhood could be likened in some respect to Bath and German bombers certainly targeted the Gas Works at Lower Sydenham and railway terminus at Crystal Palace, just as they did with Bath’s gas-holders and railway station, with its electricity generating plant close by. Many German bomber pilots used the River Avon for navigation purposes and those straying off-course on a cloudy night, following their high-explosive and incendiary drops on Bath, would sometimes vent their frustration by emptying their machine gun fire in random attacks on such as the Larkhall Inn. Surely this historic incident is worthy of a heritage plaque to commemorate the role played by the Larkhall Inn in the famous Baedeker Raids.
A young Bryan Chalker
Several areas of Bath were laid to waste during April 1942, among them Kingsmead, Upper Bristol Road, Twerton and Oldfield Park. The firm of Stothert and Pitt, maker of cranes and, at that time, armaments for the Royal Navy, was also badly damaged and it is known that among its many employees were men and women from Larkhall and beyond. Few people here at the time ever thought that Bath would be a prime target for Hitler’s bombers but when the drone of Junkers and Dornier aircraft finally coloured the air over Bath on April 25 and unleashed their fury, Bathonians knew it was for real. My own experience as a small child living in Sydenham, Kent (now SE26), at the time of the Bath Blitz, must have been similar to the
Opening a new community hub for larkhall
Happy as a Lark! www.pitchero.com/clubs/larkhallathleticfc
A facility for use by all, every day of the week at St Saviour’s Church St Saviour’s is a church firmly rooted in community life and is a beacon in Larkhall. For many generations it has met and served the needs of the parish. But it’s important for us to grow and adapt to meet the changing needs of our community and to do that we want to make the building accessible and usable for as wide a range of people as possible. We already have several groups meeting in our church including Guides, singing groups, keep fit, day club, toddlers and a Fairtrade coffee morning. And that’s not to mention our own youth groups who currently need to compromise and meet in sub-standard areas of the building which don’t have proper facilities – they often need to meet standing up in the kitchen or sitting in the stairwell. The external groups who are currently using our church meet in the single ground floor ‘Fellowship Centre’ at the back of the church. We want to add to this and attract many more groups to meet in our wonderful building by developing a new, multi-room community facility. This will be inside the walls of the current church. There will be four additional rooms on top including a new room for the youth and three additional flexible community rooms on the first and second levels, all accessible via a lift. The ‘Fellowship Centre’ will be refurbished with a new kitchen, a coffee shop-style servery and much-needed storage space for toys and spare furniture as well as our renowned Fairtrade goods shop. It will also be soundproofed, so that crèche and Sunday School can take place completely separately from our main services. Crucial to our plans is that the character of the building will be retained – the rear gallery pews will be brought forward, while the tiled mural on the church’s back wall will be visible through the glass fronted rooms. We need to raise £525,000 for the whole project and £340,000 to get underway with the first phase (the first floor structure and ground floor refurbishment). The cost will be met by a combination of grants from charitable trusts, fundraising and our own church members. We have so far raised an amazing £240,000 towards our plans thanks to the generosity of many. You can download a full brochure on the project from bit.ly/communityhubbrochure and check out our blog with full details on the project and how you can get involved at bit.ly/communityhub.
Larkhall Athletic's first season in the Southern League defied all expectations. At the start of the season some were saying that the Larks would struggle at step 4, and even within the club a mid-table finish was considered a realistic target. But Wayne Thorne's squad of winners had other ideas, and the Larks ended the season in a highly impressive 5th spot, on 77 points and within the playoff zone. The team also notched up a bestever FA Cup run, beating Merthyr Town and Truro Town away and forcing conference side Gosport Borough to a replay, at which point the Larks bowed out. The league performance meant that the Larks were only two games away from an astonishing back-to-back promotion run, which would have taken them to the Southern Premier League alongside Frome, Chippenham, Weymouth, and Truro. The semi-final gave the club fresh hope: pitted against second-placed Evesham United the Larks defied the odds and won 3-0 away from home with superb goals from top scorer Tyler Sibbick, midfielder Rob Hobbs, and recent signing Dean Griffiths. The win put the Larks into the final against Stratford Town, probably the biggest game in club history. Going 3-0 down with less than 20 minutes to play was not the plan, but the Larks staged an immense comeback to claw back two goals in 4 minutes. Alas, time ran out before a third goal and so the promotion dream will have to be reignited next season. The other senior sides had fine seasons. The Reserves got very close to promotion themselves, ending third in the Somerset County League Division One, and the Larkhall Ladies held their own at Step 3, the highest level they had ever played at. The Ladies ended their season by winning the Somerset Senior Cup final - more silverware for the club! All this success comes at a cost, of course. Considerable work has been undertaken this season to bring the ground up to the desired standard, including a new medical room, new turnstile housing, and further pitchside fencing. Success on the pitch also led to higher gates, with an average watching the first team of over 140, an increase of almost 30 on last season; the club took more than 100 supporters to Stratford for the playoff final. The vast majority of the 2014-15 squad have committed to stay at Plain Ham in the coming season, and a few new faces will also be joining the Larks. The club is now actively seeking sponsorship for the 2015-16 season: there are a range of ways in which you can support the club, so please get in touch and share in the success - email larkhallathletic@gmail.com, contact the club via the website (above) or you can even tweet @larkhallafc. Larkhall Athletic is looking forward to hearing from you! Larks' supporters now have the option of a season ticket for 2015-16, saving at least 20% on usual prices. See the club's website for details.
it’s the wonderful wizard of
OZ!
In our theatre special, we tread the path of the famous yellow brick road this summer, in our school production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at the Rondo Theatre. We spoke to Director and Drama teacher at St Mark’s School, Bridget Lyons.
Q What is this year’s St Mark’s production and where will it be held? This year’s production is the ever popular ‘Wizard of Oz,’ taking place at The Rondo Theatre on the 9th and 10th July. Q Why did you decide to choose this particular musical? It has always been a favourite of mine. I remember it being on TV every Christmas when I was a child and I also had an LP (vinyl record for those youngsters out there) of the Original Cast Recording. I honed my singing skills by singing along to Judy Garland. Q What do you hope that young people will gain from being involved? I was involved in extra-curricular Drama from a young age and what it gave to me is what I hope St. Mark’s students will get from being involved…a love of the performing arts, confidence, the thrill and adrenaline rush that performing gives and being part of a group of like-minded people, sharing the fulfilment of a LOT of hard work. Q How many are in the cast? It’s getting bigger day by day. There are 15 in the initial cast but I am recruiting more to join the ranks of The Munchkins, Citizens of Oz etc. We are also very lucky to have about 12 students from Swainswick Primary School joining us too. Q What is your role in the production and what does that involve? I am a Co-director, as I am lucky to have a fellow director this year (more on that later). I am mainly responsible for the musical numbers as well as co-ordinating all the other elements that are involved in putting on a show. Q It’s very exciting to be at The Rondo – how did that come about? It’s to do with my Co-Director! He suggested it would be great to get the students performing in a professional theatre which would give them a greater experience. He has performed there before and was able to ‘pull some strings!’ Q We have heard an exciting rumour that you have someone famous working with you on the production – can you tell us who it is and what they are doing?! Pavel Douglas is working with us. He is a professional actor but also a parent of two of our Year 7 students. I twisted his arm at our Open Evening event last year and he was more than happy to offer his time and expertise. He is directing with me but, to be honest, I am learning a huge amount from him, as are our students, so am happy to relegate myself to the role of Assistant Director!
Q How long does it take to put a production like this together? It normally takes about 6 months. We started just before Christmas and we have been rehearsing since January. Q What excites you most about this production? It really is all about seeing the effort and immense hard work of the students come to fruition. I am already sitting in rehearsals with a huge grin on my face because we have some real talent in our school and it is a pleasure to see. Without the opportunity to perform on School productions, these talents would remain hidden. Tickets for the performance are £8 for adults, £5 for students and concessions and can be bought from the Bath Box Office.
Stagecoach theatre school
Stagecoach Bath is a thriving part-time performing arts school that has been running for over 15 years. Being a Stagecoach student is about having fun each weekend with friends who share a passion for the performing arts. Stagecoach is also about helping students to develop many important life skills, build confidence in young people and develop communication skills. Stagecoach Bath will be running Summer Workshops throughout July and August at venues across Bath. These are open to both non-Stagecoach and Stagecoach children and are a great opportunity to be part of a team putting on a presentation for family and friends. Children will sing, dance and act for the whole week, learn new skills, make friends and grow in confidence. Stagecoach Bath also offers weekly classes during term time. These classes are held on Fridays and Saturdays and are for children aged 4 – 18 years old. For prospective students Stagecoach will be holding a FREE Discovery Session which will be held at 10.00am on Saturday 12th September 2015 at Hayesfield Lower School, Bath, BA2 3QX. Your child will be able to try for free classes in singing, dancing and acting. Places are allocated on a first come first served basis so please book early to avoid disappointment. For more information on Workshops, weekly classes or to book your child onto the FREE Discovery Session please contact Sandra Mayo on 01249 655900, email bath@stagecoach.co.uk or visit www.stagecoach.co.uk/bath
Theatre Royal, Bath’s ‘Storm on the lawn’ The annual Summer School of Theatre Royal Bath, Storm on the Lawn, is back this year with a dark and fascinating must-see musical of The Teacup Poisoner, the true story of Graham Young; a sixteen year old with a curious interest in poisons and their affect on his nearest and dearest! Storm on the Lawn productions are aimed at young people aged 12-21 with an interest in performing arts or learning more about theatre productions. The summer school brings together over 75 cast and backstage members, together with a theatre team to pull together the extraordinary feat of putting together an entire, professionally-staged production, all within a three week window during August. We interviewed Incubator Producer, Katherine Lazare, who has been working on the project since last September. “Storm on the Lawn is full on and hard work but great fun. The summer school runs for three weeks and in that time everyone works together and it becomes a great team; it’s a great experience.”
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T h e b e s t sum m e r o f my l if e !
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2014 participant
Tickets are £13 for adults and £9 for concessions and can be bought at the Theatre Royal Box Office or www.theatreroyal.org.uk.
Competition!
If you would like the chance to win a family ticket for 4 (2 adults & 2 children or 1 adult & 3 children) to watch Storm on the Lawn at Prior Park College on Wednesday 19th August at 8pm, just enter our brilliant COMPETITION! All you have to do is email your name, age and school to: The Editor at hawkinsp@st-marks.org.uk by midnight on Thursday 16th July. The winning entrant will be chosen randomly and notified on Friday 17th July. Entrants must be aged 4 - 16 and have the permission of their parent or carer and must be available to attend Prior Park College on Wednesday 19th August.
“I think it’s also about making new friends and meeting new people. There is a real sense of reward and a real buzz about performing outdoors with such a large cast. Anyone taking part is also working with a professional team so it’s very much about learning to be theatre makers.” This year’s production is a musical by Mark Powell and Ben Occhipinti called the Teacup Poisoner. It is the true story of Graham Young, a sixteen year old in the 60s who had a fascination with poisons. He experimented by secretly poisoning people that he knew through everyday items, such as a cup of tea and then recording the findings. The Teacup Poisoner is set in a courtroom around the time of Graham’s trial but dips back and forth into his story. “We were initially approached by the writers, Mark and Ben, to see if we could assist with some development work on the play. We instantly liked the idea and a bit later thought that this would work really well for Storm on the Lawn at Prior Park. We haven’t performed a musical at Storm on the Lawn in a while so, for me, it’s really exciting to be doing something like this.” “We start properly on June 14th with our Kick Start session. This is where the cast get to meet one another and Lee, our Director, gets to meet everyone involved in the production. We don’t cast until day one of the summer school on 3rd August but it’s a good time to start to get to know one another. Once the musical has been cast, we then begin rehearsals for two weeks, working from 10am to 6pm most days. The third and final week is all about dress rehearsals and then the show actually opens on Wednesday 19th August until Sunday 23rd August.” “Anyone interested in taking part can do so, right up until the 3rd of August. The cost of the three week summer school is £375 for performers and £175 for back stage members. We do have a bursary scheme available for those who may find this financially difficult. These can be 25%, 50% or more, depending on the applicant’s circumstances so it’s always worth talking to us if you are interested in taking part.”
The Larkhall
Village Kitchen
The column that puts creativity back into cooking with the majority of ingredients sourced from Larkhall shops, gardens or allotments.
SAUSAGEMEAT LOAF A relatively cheap and cheerful recipe relic from the Second World War, serves up to six people and requires 40 minutes cooking time. Ingredients: 12oz sausagemeat 4oz corned beef, flaked 1 large cooking apple, peeled and grated 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage or ½ teaspoon of dried sage 1 onion, grated 1 tablespoon chutney, chopped finely 2 tablespoons crisp breadcrumbs Method: Mix all of the ingredients, except the breadcrumbs, together. Grease a loaf tin or pie dish and coat the bottom and sides with the crumbs. Put in the sausagemeat mixture and bake in the centre of a moderately hot oven for 40 minutes. Serve cold with salad, slice for a packed meal or serve hot with vegetables.