Kuwaiti benefactor's delight at success of Mayfield School in St Annes

A Kuwaiti businessman was eager to go back to school when he made his first return to St Annes after the restrictions of the Covid pandemic.
By Tony Durkin
Published 23rd Mar 2022, 10:38 BST
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Abdulrahman Al Farsi became enamoured of the resort when he brought along his national kite team to the St Annes International Kite Festival on several occasions.

On his return, he was eager to catch up on the fortunes of Mayfield Primary School, where he made a donation which has helped boost the school from an ‘requires improvement’ grade at its previous Ofsted inspection to ‘good’ when the inspectors last came to call.

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Mr Al Farsi’s £1,000 donation funded attendance and punctuality initiatives which headteacher Glyn Denton says played a key role in the improved rating – and the businessman presented a framed memento to mark the success.

Abdulrahman Al Farsi (left) at Mayfield Primary School with his nephew Mubarak (right), head teacher Glyn Denton and pupils Rosa Hatjoullis and Josh De Mooij , both prefects and both aged 11.Abdulrahman Al Farsi (left) at Mayfield Primary School with his nephew Mubarak (right), head teacher Glyn Denton and pupils Rosa Hatjoullis and Josh De Mooij , both prefects and both aged 11.
Abdulrahman Al Farsi (left) at Mayfield Primary School with his nephew Mubarak (right), head teacher Glyn Denton and pupils Rosa Hatjoullis and Josh De Mooij , both prefects and both aged 11.
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Head's delight at improved Ofsted rating for Mayfield School, St Annes

Mr Denton said: “Abdulrahman Al Farsi kindly sponsored our extensive reward systems introduced to promote strong school attendance and punctuality.

" We have called the project 'Don't Miss A Minute' and his sponsorship has included funding new bikes and family attraction vouchers for the lucky winners of our regular prize attendance and punctuality draws.

"This has seen Mayfield Primary School hit record figures for our attendance and showing enormous progress during the last four years with figures well above last national comparisons.

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"We are delighted that Abdulrahman is continuing to support school as we move into our next projects linked to our innovative play zones and our ABC Theatre performing arts work. Exciting times indeed for our good school as we move from strength to strength.”

The Kuwaiti team was one of the notable participants when the St Annes Kite Festival grew to an international event from 2017, before the event had to be scaled down after the pandemic.

Mr Al Farsi owns the world's three biggest kites and links the most enthusiastic and accomplished kite flyers from all over the world to support hisprojects.

Colin Ballard, the former Lytham St Annes town crier who befriended him at the Kite Festival and accompanied him on his visit to Mayfield said: “He loves our beach and says the three best places to fly kites are, on the desert in Kuwait; Berck, Northern France and St Annes on theSea.”