When it comes to dedication, Clarendon Junior School’s Head Teacher, Alex Bostock has it in abundance.

It has been some fifteen years since he took on the top teacher job at Clarendon and through his friendly manner and genuine support for the community Alex has become a well-known figure.
 
“I think it’s important for the school to play a big part in the community. We depend on the community to support the school and so it’s only fair that we give something back and I am more than happy to be involved and use my experience in that way,” said Alex.

Thanks to funding from the government, Clarendon School and others in the area are now benefiting from a cash injection, which will help set up ‘extended schools projects’.

“We have been successful in our bid to gain some of that funding, which will allow us to employ a project manager to undertake the extended schools project tasks. The project means we will be able to open the school at 8 o’clock in the morning, right through to 6pm, where a whole range of activities will be put in place for the children.”

These activities include sports, dance, music and drama clubs, in addition to activity groups for children interested board games such as Chess.

“We will also be able to have people in place to help with the fact that we
have a lot of children in the school who are from military backgrounds. Sometimes they need help settling in and sometimes they need help with paperwork etc when they are moving.”

It is also a busy time for the school, which is currently in the middle of its SATs examination period.

“On the whole the children are dealing pretty well with SATs; all this week the children are being tested in Maths, English and Science. They’ve been taught well and I think and that applies pretty much to all of our schools in the area. One thing is certain however, there’ll be a great sigh of relief when it’s all over; both the staff and children have worked very hard,” added Alex.