Search icon

Family

15th Jul 2014

Words of Wisdom – This is the School You Want Every Child to Attend

These teachers get it. They get it, and this is lovely.

Her

This is the kind of school you wish every child could have the joy of attending. 

Yesterday, letters arrived to the homes of year six pupils in Barrowford Primary School, Lancashire. The letters, addressed to the students themselves, contained the youngsters’ Key Stage Two exam results, but came with a very special note included too.

Signed by head teacher Rachel Tomlinson and the head of the schools year six, Amy Birkett, this amazing note reminded the pupils, aged 9-11, that there are many ways of being smart, and tests could only gage one part of this.

This is simply lovely.

Bsl1SN9IAAIsM3W.jpg-large

The letter reads in full:

Please find enclosed your end of KS2 test results. We are very proud of you as you demonstrated huge amounts of commitment and tried your very best during this tricky week.

“However, we are concerned that these tests do not always assess all of what it is that make each of you special and unique. The people who create these tests and score them do not know each of you– the way your teachers do, the way I hope to, and certainly not the way your families do.

“They do not know that many of you speak two languages. They do not know that you can play a musical instrument or that you can dance or paint a picture. They do not know that your friends count on you to be there for them or that your laughter can brighten the dreariest day.

“They do not know that you write poetry or songs, play or participate in sports, wonder about the future, or that sometimes you take care of your little brother or sister after school. They do not know that you have travelled to a really neat place or that you know how to tell a great story or that you really love spending time with special family members and friends.

“They do not know that you can be trustworthy, kind or thoughtful, and that you try, every day, to be your very best… the scores you get will tell you something, but they will not tell you everything.

“So enjoy your results and be very proud of these but remember there are many ways of being smart.”

 

Hat Tip: Huge thanks to Emma Watson Burke for sending this one on to us via Twitter. Thanks Emma!

If you’ve spotted something weird or wonderful you think should feature on Her.ie, get in touch! You’ll find us on Twitter here, on Facebook here or you can drop us a line to [email protected]!