JOBS & RECRUITMENT IN NOTTINGHAM

Elizabeth Michael in the Community

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Business in Education

Elizabeth Michael Associates and Berridge Junior School

Wednesday 24th,January 2007 is marked in my diary as a very important date when Berridge Junior School began its relationship with Elizabeth Michael Associates. Like any other relationship, you begin by dealing with the here and now, but cannot predict how it will develop over time. Within a very short period of time, I can now report that that first meeting with John Hyde and Marie Williams has opened up dimensions far beyond our expectations.

To put this into perspective, Berridge Junior School (photograph attached) is an inner city school, situated in a deprived area of Nottingham. The school serves a very multicultural community combined with inherent problems associated with low socio-economic status, high levels of unemployment, an under-class of drugs, prostitution and low-level crime etc.

Amidst all of this, we are a very happy school. The staff are privileged to work in an environment where all their efforts and hard work are appreciated by the children and their families. It is to the school’s credit that a significant number of children (29%) live outside the catchment area, but their families choose to send them to Berridge. Our mission is to give children the best start in life, not just academically, but also socially and emotionally. The core curriculum is enhanced by a vast range of additional activities both inside and outside the school’s environment, often managed by the voluntary efforts of staff.

However, we cannot stand alone in our endeavours. It is so gratifying for us when companies such as Elizabeth Michael Associates take an active interest in the school. Already we have benefited from the services offered by this company in respect of supply cover for administration staff. This has been taken to another level with the gift of a full drum kit which will support the development of music at Berridge and in particular develop the talents of specific children who have been identified as talented in this field (see the photograph of Charlie and Hanieh attached). Plans are also being laid to support the total financial cost of our annual trip to the seaside in July, when we take all of our Year 5/6 children (about 140) for a special day out, just before the Year 6 children move on to secondary school.

We had kicked around a few ideas to mark this historic occasion but hadn’t come up with anything until Julia Penniston arrived back from holiday having visited London to see "The Lion King".

"How about taking the whole school down to London to see the Lion King at the very end of the year?" she enthused.

Mike Potter, acting head for the year, said what a great idea it was but thought what a massive undertaking and fraught with problems. However, to cut a long story a bit shorter, the idea gradually took off and arrangements began. An initial poll of parents showed enthusiasm, yet as tickets and transport were costed, parents began to have their doubts. We were beginning to get nervous.

However, a telephone call from John Hyde at Elizabeth Michael Associates whose daughter is at our school suddenly lifted the gloom and lead to a new impetus in the process.

John offered £2000 to be spent on making the trip viable. We agreed that the best way to spend the money was to offer subsidies to parents who did not want their children to go because they couldn’t afford it.

As a consequence, we were able to proceed with the visit safe in the knowledge that every child who wanted to go would be able to.

The money was used in a number of ways. First, there was a straight payment for anyone who could not afford it. Next, most parents accepted a part payment to make it easier and finally, a large part of the money was used to reduce the price for parents who had more than one child in the school. Finally, we were able to treat all of the children to a drink, an ice cream and a souvenir programme.

It was a fantastic trip and a memorable way to mark the occasion. Of course, we had to choose the hottest day of the year but the excitement of taking practically every child and a huge contingent of parents to see such a striking show made everything worthwhile. We also realised that, without the generosity of Elizabeth Michael Associates, the impact of the occasion would have been far less.

There is still a small amount of money left in the fund and it is still being used to help children to go on visits or to make visits viable where costs would be prohibitive.