The school has lost a lot of children in the last few years, mainly because of the uncertainty of what is happening to the area.
Is the Cardroom Estate going to be demolished or not? Most
of the children in the school live on the Cardroom Estate.
I have worked at St Jude’s as a classroom assistant for just over seven
years. Both my children attended the school. My youngest leaves this year for
high school. I couldn’t have chosen a better primary school for my children.
They have both been very happy there.
There has been quite a high turnover of staff in the last few years, again, because of the uncertain future of the school, but all the teachers have been excellent. It is an open school. Parents are encouraged to come into school for whatever reason and they are warmly welcomed. The teachers are very approachable and will do all they can to help with any problems, large or small, it doesn’t matter. We have a parent room where they can meet, have a coffee and a chat any time they want to. There is also an after school club and a play scheme.
Being a small school, the children can have more one to one contact with the teachers, which is vital when a child has special needs. We have many student teachers coming into our school and I have yet to meet one who has not enjoyed their stay with us. A lot of them still come back to see us and the children welcome them warmly.
The closure of the school will mean a one mile walk to the other school and another one mile walk back, and double that for the parents. What is it going to be like in winter when it is bitter cold and raining and snowing?
St Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, but St Jude’s
School is not a lost cause. It is a happy community school.
WHY CAN’T IT STAY THAT WAY?
