stouravonmagazine.co.uk
30 New Stour & Avon, July 29, 2022
Education
School garden sows seeds of friendship Residents of a Dorset care home have cultivated community links with the opening of a garden at a nearby school. Children and staff at Talbot Primary School in Poole welcomed neighbours from Colten Care’s Bourne View. The Bourne View party, including residents Kathleen Betty, Pat Tharme and Albert Langworthy, enjoyed a tour of the new space and complimented all involved in its planning and opening. It features raised beds enabling all children to take part in gardening activities and the care of plants and flowers. After admiring the layout of the garden and its array of vegetables, wild selfseeded flowers and mixed sunflowers, Pat said: “The displays were beautiful and it was a joy to visit such a lovely garden and see children so full of happiness.” Albert agreed, adding: “This is such a well-tended and peaceful green space.” Pupils have been involved in planting and nurturing the plants and flowers during the past academic year. Some of the seeds they have planted
recently were specially gifted to them from the Tower of London Superblooms display, part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Talbot School headteacher Kate Curtis said: “This has been a long-term project and it is great to see it come to fruition. We are so grateful to the Talbot Village Trust for providing the funding and delighted to share this beautiful space with our children, families, and the
wider community.” Companionship team member Brian Ramsey said: “It’s clear that a great deal of work has gone into making this garden so attractive and inspiring. “We congratulate all at Talbot Primary School and thank them for being such great hosts. “They even served us afternoon tea and homemade cakes which was a delightful surprise.”
Pupils at a Wimborne school used their latest sell-out production to give a supercalifragilistic send-off to their headteacher. St Michael’s Middle School performed Mary Poppins at The Layard Theatre at Canford School earlier this month. The musical was six months in the making, with every aspect including staging and lighting managed by pupils and many showing off their acting skills for the first time. As a special surprise to their departing headteacher, Ron Jenkinson, the pupils also changed many of the words to the iconic song Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, to incorporate a fond farewell. New words included: “Mr Jenkinson you have been absolutely splendid. We wish your time here never ended.” Ron has been a headteacher for 23 years, the last nine of which have been at St Michael’s. He leaves at the end of this term and plans to take a sabbatical and travel. He said: “Like all our other productions which have gone before it, Mary
Poppins was a fantastic show and we are all so proud of everyone involved. “When the pupils started to sing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and I realised the words were about me I was shocked. But also deeply touched. “The whole audience responded and clapped. It was very special.” Ron continued: “At St Michael’s we teach pupils our ABC: Aspiration, Belief and Creativity. “Over the course of rehearsals and three amazing performances our pupils have
excelled in all three qualities.” Music teacher Ed Johnston agreed: “It has been a pleasure to discover new talent and watch all of our performers grow in confidence and ability. We hope our next production may be one we write ourselves. “A great deal of hard work has gone into every aspect of the show and we were all thrilled with the finished result, which also provided a very fitting goodbye to our popular headteacher.”
Supercalidocious send-off for headteacher
