Buildings
Documentation
HMI inspection: Maynard Road Junior Girls - 3rd and 4th October 1956
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Transcript of report:
The Headmistress was appointed in 1952. Of the nine assistant mistresses, three (two unqualified and one straight from College) have been here only since September and need much help. A fourth is leaving at the end of this term. The remainder includes two mistresses of long experience who were appointed under the previous Headmistress and two younger ones of some promise who came to the school in 1953. The senior assistant is a particularly keen, thoughtful and enthusiastic teacher. Except for her, it is a staff with the weaknesses implicit in the above facts. The situation makes more demands upon the Headmistress's time and energy that could probably be me by one person and unrealistic, in the circumstances, to expect to see teaching that had developed any marked qualities of imagination or stimulation. Nervertheless, inspite of obvious difficulties, the first four years in the Headmistresses's tenure of office have not by any means been unsatisfactorily spent. There are evident signs of good housekeeping and careful organisation. The Headmistress knows her staff and her pupils well and appears to have established good human relationships. Both as a building and a community of children the School has gained in brightness. |
Standards of performance in the basic skills have been consolidated and a point appears to have been reached where the emphasis might safely be shifted on to the need for enlarging the range of activities and for bringing the pupils into closer and more continuous contact with good literature and art.Whether this can be achieved to any significant degree depends largely upon the School's future opportunities of increasing the present low proportion of good teachers on its staff.
In the last ten years the number o pupils on roll has steadily increased from 234 to 341. There are now ten classes. As the available accommodation consists of nine classrooms and hall, the additional class has bee found a temporary and inconvenient home in the adjoining boys' school.
The site is a very restricted one. Playground space consists of small and separated areas. The position of the school on the site and the awkward planning of its exits make it virtually impossible for apparatus for Physical Education to be taken outside except through a window.A great deal, however, to improve the interior of the old building.Power- and - wireless points have been put in, new sinks provided inthe kitchen,a store-room improvised, lighting improved and re-decoration carried out to cheering effect. New equipment supplied has included a wireless set and loud speakers, a film-strip projector and rear-projection screen, a silent-film projector, a record-player and much new suitable classroom furniture.
In the last ten years the number o pupils on roll has steadily increased from 234 to 341. There are now ten classes. As the available accommodation consists of nine classrooms and hall, the additional class has bee found a temporary and inconvenient home in the adjoining boys' school.
The site is a very restricted one. Playground space consists of small and separated areas. The position of the school on the site and the awkward planning of its exits make it virtually impossible for apparatus for Physical Education to be taken outside except through a window.A great deal, however, to improve the interior of the old building.Power- and - wireless points have been put in, new sinks provided inthe kitchen,a store-room improvised, lighting improved and re-decoration carried out to cheering effect. New equipment supplied has included a wireless set and loud speakers, a film-strip projector and rear-projection screen, a silent-film projector, a record-player and much new suitable classroom furniture.
Some school reports from Maynard Road Boys Junior school
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Extracts from the Maynard Road Junior Girls school log book - in lots of ways little has changed!
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Appreciation and participation in 'the Arts' is still an important part of the curriculum.....
Year 6 now go to a Citizenship day where they are taught about all kinds of safety e.g. road safety, dangers in the street such as building sites. Years 2 and 5 also have a visit from the Fire Brigade.......
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Unfortunately school doesn't close for elections. It continues to be used but the polling station is in a mobile in the playground!
No segregation of the sexes now! And a lot more staff in the school......
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Pupils continue to excel at sports events in the Borough........
Children continue to study local history and sketch the Ancient House...
Still attending Suntrap and taking part in Music Festivals.......
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Called an 11 plus in those days but not very different from doing SATs now in Year 6! .......
Used for training teachers then and now a Teacher Training School but different issues with technology now!..........
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