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A final salute
THEIR dads have served in Afghanistan, dispatched there with the 2nd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), within weeks of arriving at Weeton Army Barracks.
But their children, who stayed on the Fylde, are now on the brink of a new posting themselves, ready to break up for the summer holidays, prior to going to high school.
Carr Hill, for most, Kirkham Grammar for others, and a rather posh boarding school for Abigail Lamb, 11, who had to bid a tearful farewell to her friends days earlier.
It's easy to see why Weeton Primary School has such a good reputation in Ofsted and, indeed, army circles. It really is one big extended family which underpins the security of children who face regular upheaval as part of regimental family life.
Most of the 120 confident and assured young pupils aged four to 11 are sons and daughters of servicemen and women at the barracks near Weeton village.
Few will go from reception to year six. The school has a high turnover, as regiments come and go, roughly every three years, each one effectively creating a "new" school.
Academic results can be affected by postings, as pupils move on, or are affected by circumstances – it must be hard to settle down to study when dad's in a war zone.
The school itself is 50 years old this summer and many of its former pupils are now doing their bit for Queen and country at home and overseas.
It's one of the smallest schools on the Fylde - but its history books attest to the role played by former pupils from 1958 to this day.
One former pupil has already donated 100 to help commemorate the golden jubilee in September.
And former major Mark Brazier showed up for the end-of-term assembly to thank pupils for raising hundreds of pounds to help him build a school in Kenya, on the edge of the Masi Mara.
A quick quiz determined most of the youngsters knew one of the greatest threats faced by their counterparts in deepest Africa – man-eating lions! What's the equivalent here? "Busy traffic in Weeton," reckons Craig Bown, 11.
Mark says: "Whilst I am fighting off man eating lions and stampeding elephants with a stick, I must also find time to mix concrete, plumb toilets and terminate electrics."
The local youngsters' imagination has been captured by the appeal run by Virgin Unite, the not-for-profit entrepreneurial foundation of Richard Branson's Virgin empire.
Meantime, they plan a big event of their own, come September, that celebration of half a century in army education.
Several large papier mache emperor and gentoo penguins now stand guard near the small hall, rescued from some 25 years in storage ... fashioned by pupils while their fathers served in the Falklands and saw the real thing.
The penguins marched on to win the Young Seasiders' contest of the day.
And while Weeton Primary is good at engendering respect for self, for others, for authority, and developing the discipline vital for fulfilling potential, there isn't that sense of a mini-Sandhurst about the place.
If anything, right now there's a lot of sand!
Giant beach balls, clown suits, even scaled down tourists, all got press ganged into service for the school's final assembly seaside show - after the youngsters saw the real thing in Blackpool.
The children of class six, year six, 10 and 11-year-olds, on the brink of going to high school, devised the show as an end-of term-treat to take their minds off the painful partings to come from staff and pupils they have come to love.
Ian Tolley, North Pier's deputy general manager, a former pupil of their head teacher, Chris Horrocks, helped organise a VIP tour of duty with a difference for the girls and boys.
As part of their studies of history and geography they visited Blackpool to take in the sights and sounds, starting with the Great Promenade Art Show (which they loved) and the building work for the new sea defences and extended headlands (which they hated,
although know the result will be worth it).
Then the real fun started, the rides on the Big Wheel at Central Pier, free for the kids thanks to the generosity of the operator, and then on to North Pier, which has seen massive refurbishment, to ride the historic carousel, watch a video of the town's history and look at how the pier used to be back in the good old days.
All that and a stick of rock, so small wonder Blackpool rocks, as far as these children are concerned.
And by way of end-of-term thank
you, they invited Mr Tolley back as their guest of honour at their final
assembly, presenting their very own Blackpool show to assembled staff, parents and guests, complete with song, dance, comedy and poetry, showcasing each child's talents.
"Certainly good enough for our end
of pier show," Mr Tolley conceded.
The youngsters have even compiled a video and picture book commemorating their trip, including some
extraordinarily evocative poems.
Here's Nathan Nicholls' Changing
Blackpool:
"Destroying Blackpool with irritating noises
Like boom, slash, vroom, crash and bash.
Tractors pushing , crushing the beach like it's a toy.
JCBs tearing Blackpool apart.
Blackpool reincarnating itself.
But with help and pain Blackpool will be
Beautiful again with beaches – and no diggers."
As headteacher Horrocks handed over each leaver's certificate and finally lit the Friendship Circle candle to mark each child's passing from Weeton Primary School, he concluded: "Forget SATs and stats – this is what school is all about. Being here, among friends, memories you will cherish for life. Feel proud of yourselves."
jacqui.morley@blackpoolgazette.co.uk
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Wednesday 30 May 2012
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