Archived News - Lower School
A New Beginning at Eaton Bray Lower School
Eaton Bray Lower School is no more – but all is not what it seems, so please read on!
The heading suggests, particularly at this time of year, new life and a fresh start, and that is exactly what is happening in Eaton Bray. Your local School became an Academy on Friday 1st April 2011.
To explain the reasons for this, I would like to take you back to the nineties. Eaton Bray School seemed constantly under threat at this time. We did not have high numbers, and in fact at times only three classrooms were in use, the fourth being ‘moth balled’ as they called it. We were regularly told that village schools were not necessary and that unless numbers increased the School would be closed. We were then given some freedom with Local Management of Schools and the creation of strong Governing Bodies. For us, this was the beginning of a new era. We were fortunate to have dedicated, committed School governors who worked with the School, and gradually we grew and developed. Our numbers increased, we designed and added a purpose built Pre School, which became part of the School, our School grounds were developed, and this year we extended the library and built a new classroom. Most importantly, we have a fantastic staff team and some of us openly admit to loving our jobs and looking forward to another Monday morning! This rubs off on our children and here are some of their quotes reported on their School census!
Tilly, “All the teachers are kind and caring”,
Sulaymaan “It’s a good place to be, the teachers try to make learning fun”.
Finlay “The best thing about EBLS is that there are lots of kind generous people”
Finally, Peter provides a list!
“The children are nice, we have fun, we learn lots of facts and the rules are fair”
As I hope you are beginning to realise, we feel Eaton Bray School is a special place and we wanted to keep it that way. With fears of cuts and changes, and so many unknowns, we felt the way forward was to become an Academy. [This was made possible because of our ‘Outstanding’ status achieved at the last OFSTED inspection].
Accordingly, the Governing Body and the whole of the School staff voted unanimously to apply for Academy status, and this was accepted by Government, and came into effect on April 1st. So, we have a new beginning, which fits well with the history of Eaton Bray as it is the 150th anniversary of Eaton Bray School this year.
I would like to thank everyone who has made this possible, and hope that staff, parents and most of all, the children will continue to enjoy Eaton Bray School. We are here to stay!
Sue Hounslow, Head
Source: Focus, May 2011
Eaton Bray Academy
Eaton Bray Lower School is now officially an Academy.
Below is a slide show from their "Special Celebration Day" in pictorial form.
Source: Eaton Bray Academy Blog
Quiz Night
Tickets are £8 per person and include a ploughmans-style supper. Bring your own drinks and glasses and make it a real night out! Tables of up to 8, but if you have part of a table don't worry - we can help you find team mates.
Source: Focus, August/September 2010
Eaton Bray Lower School Summer Fayre
Saturday 19th June
12.00 - 2.30pm
Make a date to come along for a fun day out at our Summer Fayre. There's loads to keep all the family entertained including:
- Adult's and children's tombola
- Bric-a-brac stall
- Sponge throwing
- Refreshments and barbeque stall
- Photo opportunity with a famous character
- Space hoppers
- Cake stall
- Grab-a-bag
- Face painting
- plus loads more....
Everyone's welcome whether you have children at Eaton Bray or not.
Please come along to help support our school.
We're looking forward to seeing you!
Source: Focus, June 2010
Eaton Bray Lower School
Having grown and eaten our own produce for lunch, we have now extended the self-sufficiency life style! We planted our orchard in the autumn term 2009 with a range of fruit trees. More recently, we enrolled three new pupils. The general election to decide on their names has not yet taken place. They are, of course, chickens! The children will be eating their eggs for lunch and then the School Council are hoping to receive donations from parents for the remaining eggs. The proceeds will be used for the upkeep of the chickens so that the children have fi rst hand experience of self-financing projects.
Our year fours won an Edenfoods competition. The prize was a cooking demonstration.
The children were able to ask questions about the ingredients, to learn how to prepare and cook them and fi nally what they tasted like. So we hope to have developed and encouraged some self suffi cient, financially successful, voting, locally sourced chefs of the future!
Source: Focus, June 2010
Great Excitement at Eaton Bray Lower School
It is hard to believe that our Pre School has now been open for a year. I think it is really beginning to feel like home now for the staff and the children. In fact one of our parents said 'it is the closest to home a School can be'. The outside area is being developed, the new furniture is in daily use, the Children's Centre have been running Jo Jingles, Bumps and Babes and Story and Rhyme Time. All is well with the world; it is obviously time for our next project!
Mr Andrew Whiteley, one of our School governors, designed our innovative Pre School building for us. At the opening we could hardly dare to believe that it was really ours. It was a special moment and one, I thought, we could not repeat. However, our pupil numbers have been gradually increasing over the last few years, and then drastically increased when our Pre School arrived. So after much discussion about an extension and where it should go and what it would look like and even more saving, we decided to in-fill between two classrooms which would mean joining the classroom onto the library. Imagine our delight when Mr Whiteley asked if he could once more design a building for us. Nothing, however, prepared us for what was to come. Many people had described our Pre School building as a building to make you smile. It has certainly made everyone attending it very happy. This latest design I think will make us all chuckle. I can already picture the children arriving at School, perhaps a little nervous on their first day; they then raise their eyes and see this -
Source: Focus, November 2009
Ladybird roof will be spotted after go-ahead for extension
A planned new classroom and library area at Eaton Bray Lower School has been given the thumbs up.
The extension, which is needed to cope with an increase in the number of pupils, was given the go-ahead at a meeting on Central Bedfordshire Council's development management committee on Wednesday.
The increase has been linked to the success of the school's new nursery building. The roof design of the extension is based on a ladybird symbol widely associated with books and children's learning and would be constructed from moulded glass fibre and reinforced plastics, domed and coloured red with black spots.
The parish council said they had no objections to the extension in principle but considered the design "architecturally inappropriate".
For the latest news from Eaton Bray and beyond, get the Dunstable Gazette every Wednesday and make a daily date with Dunstable Today.
Source: Dunstable Gazette, 12 August 2009
Eaton Bray Lower School
On Tuesday, four Parish Councillors visited our School, and had a lengthy tour, encompassing both buildings and grounds. They were impressed by our thriving allotment; newly refurbished pond; bird hide; and wonderful gardens.
We have two new additions to our School - Barry and Betty, our sculpture snails, designed and made by Badgers class! If you come along to "Open Gardens", on Sunday 14th June, between 12 o'clock and 5 o'clock, you will be able to meet the snails personally, and experience our immaculate and colourful grounds as you tour our School. We will be serving cream teas too. Look forward to seeing you.
It will be a hectic weekend, as our Summer Fayre is on Saturday 13th June, 12 - 2.30pm. come along and experience fun and games; stalls; tasty lunches and many other attractions.
Please support us this weekend. We always welcome new faces!
Source: Eaton Bray Lower School Blog
Snow forces schools to close
Lessons in tobogganing and snowballing will be on the cards today and tomorrow (2nd/3rd February 2009) after school closures were announced across the Dunstable and Houghton Regis areas, including Eaton Bray Lower School due to the severe weather conditions.
Source: Dunstable Today
New Nursery building complete
The new Nursery building at Eaton Bray Lower School is now complete.
Eaton Bray Lower School are holding their Summer Fair tomorrow (Saturday 28th June), and the new Nursery will be open for viewing during the day.
"Please do come on Saturday to sample a wonderful barbecue and desserts, as well as having fun on lots of stalls.
The Summer Fair will be on between 12.00noon and 2.30pm."
Eaton Bray Lower School has kept a weekly log for over a hundred years. Their blog continues this tradition in a modern way.
Source: EB Lower School Blog
Eaton Bray Lower School: Top Marks!
The opening paragraph from the OfSTED inspection report, after their October 2007 visit, said this about EBLS:
Please come and visit our friendly village school. Phone 01525 220468 or see our website.
Coming Soon: EBLS Nursery with extended School provision and wraparound care in a modern, light, environmentally-aware building - due to complete Spring 2008 - please call at the school (01525 220468) to find out more.
Source: Focus, May 2008
Pretend of an era as kids take a step back in time
Children and staff from Eaton Bray Lower School enjoyed a journey back in time when they dressed up as characters from different eras for a history day.
There were some colourful costumes on show, which included several wartime evacuees, wounded soldiers and pirates.
The history day has been linked into the children's learning programme.
Each pupil dressed as a character from the period in history which they are studying.
The school's head, Sue Hounslow, who dressed as a pirate for the day, said: "It was a big success. The children thoroughly enjoyed it and it helped them learn about history.
"Each. child does research from home and they gain a lot from it."
For the latest news from Eaton Bray and beyond, get the Dunstable Gazette every Wednesday and make a daily date with Dunstable Today.
Source: Dunstable Gazette, 26 March 2008
Eaton Bray builds on Ofsted achievement
Eaton Bray Lower School enjoyed a double celebration on Friday, after receiving an outstanding Ofsted report and seeing work start on its new preschool unit.
Ofsted inspector Mrs Sue Aldridge, described the school, with 94 pupils ranging from four to nine years old, as being one of the very best.
The school received outstanding Grade Ones in nearly all the categories, only dropping points on attendance of learners. Overall effectiveness, Achievement and standards, personal development and wellbeing, and the quality of provision all received top marks.
Mrs Aldridge said: "Pupils' outstanding achievement is linked to the excellent teaching, the most enjoyable curriculum and the high-quality support and guidance that pupils receive.
"The school provides an outstanding quality of education and care for its pupils and staff work exceptionally well in partnership with parents and the community for the benefit of all pupils. Pupils' enjoyment of school is impressive and leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher's vision for a school at the heart of its community is shared by the highly committed staff and excellent governors. This is set to become more firmly realised with the building of a new nursery with facilities for the local community and visiting professionals from children's services.
"There is no complacency in the school, but a continuous drive for improvement."
Headteacher Sue Hounslow said: "We are delighted that everyone's hard work has been recognised. We have a very special dedicated team at Eaton Bray - we love coming to work! The support we receive from our governors, Home School Association and parents is crucial.
"Our children are given a voice and listened to so they have respect for School and enjoy their time here. As from April next year, more children will be able to do so!
"It is a very exciting time at Eaton Bray Lower School. Our nursery is being built as we speak! It's a resource for the whole village, and is a very innovative building, specially designed for us by one of our governors."
Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 13 November 2007
Eaton Bray Lower School Calling All Past & Present Pupils
We would never forget you, but just in case
Pay for your print - To be put in our new place!
To help raise funds for our new nursery we are asking for donations from past and present pupils, so they may literally become part of the building! The choice would be hand or footprint and this would then appear with name and the year of starting and leaving Eaton Bray Lower School (EBLS).
Please contact EBLS 01525 220468.
Source: Focus, October 2007
Top tips for sporty kids
Eaton Bray Lower School will be hosting a special day of sports coaching for youngsters next week.
Football and other sports will be on the menu for kids aged from four to 12 on Thursday May 31.
Professional sports coaches provided by Premier Sport will be on hand to offer top tips for sporty youngsters.
For more information go to www.premiersport.org.
Source: Dunstable Gazette, 23 May 2007
School fit for health award
Pupils at Eaton Bray Lower School can boast that they're being well looked after - their school has been given National Healthy School status.
The award was made by the Bedfordshire Healthy Schools Scheme after the school excelled at meeting government guidelines in areas like healthy eating and physical activity.
Assessors ruled that Eaton Bray Lower had been extremely proactive in providing healthier meals, and they said: "The whole school approach to physical activity in all aspects of school life is exemplary".
Headteacher Sue Hounslow said: "It's always been an important part of our work, it's wonderful to be rewarded for the hard work that everyone's been doing."
She said the school - which has 92 pupils - recently introduced a new healthy eating menu which has gone down well with children, and the number of youngsters 'having cooked school meals each day has gone up dramatically.
She also said the school has worked closely with Eaton Bray Parish Council to bring in a tennis coach, and children are even being taught how to play rugby.
Assessors, who spent a morning at the school and interviewed pupils to help decide if it met Department of Health and DfES standards, also praised it for being inclusive and diverse.
Mrs Hounslow said: "Eaton Bray Lower School has always been a place where everyone is welcome and everyone is given the chance to achieve everything they can."
Source: Dave Burke, Dunstable Gazette, 13 December 2006
School wins award for focussing on good health
Eaton Bray Lower School has earned National Healthy School Status.
After a series of inspections by the Bedfordshire Healthy Schools Scheme, the school demonstrated that it was meeting the standards and criteria in four core themes: Personal, social and health education (including sex and relationships education and drug and alchohol education); healthy eating; physical activity; and emotional health and well being (including bullying).
Headtecher, Sue Hounslow, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be awarded the healthy schools status. It's always been an important part of our work at this school with all four aspects being high priorities, so it's wonderful to be rewarded for it."
Two teachers and two pupils will attend a ceremony to collect the school's award on January 23 at the Rufus Centre in Flitwick.
More information is available about Schools in Eaton Bray.
Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 5 December 2006
Eaton Bray Lower School
School Lane
Eaton Bray
Bedfordshire
LU6 2DT
Dear Neighbour,
Eaton Bray Lower School is in the process of preparing a School Travel Plan. It will look at the issue of traffic congestion in the area of the School in the mornings and afternoons.
Although it would be wrong to guess what it might contain, likely targets may include:
- A reduction in the number of parents who drive to the school
- The encouragement to park away from school and walk the last part of the journey for those parents who need to carry on travelling to their place of employment
- The promotion of walking, cycling and car sharing
A vital part of a School travel plan is consultation with those who live nearby and who wish to contribute their experiences and views constructively.
Eaton Bray Lower School is concerned about the road safety, health and well being of all those who travel to the School. As neighbours who are affected by these issues, you are invited to give us your comments.
The process of preparing the plan has begun and is expected to be completed before the end of this autumn term.
If you wish to add your comments, please do so below and return the letter to School at your earliest convenience.
Thank you for your help,
Mrs S Hounslow
Head Teacher
Source: Focus, November 2006
Knockout results for school grounds project
Eaton Bray Lower School's summer fair was a real knockout with visitors.
Parent Brenden Walsh had organised an "It's a Knockout" competition to raise cash for Sports Relief. And Rachel McVeigh, chairman of the Home School Association, had arranged stalls to raise funds for the development of the school's grounds. Between them they raised more than £1,000.
The money set aside for the school grounds will be used to raised soil beds so that all the children can grow fruit and vegetables. The idea is that eventually the school cook can use the produce to create healthy lunches for the 105 children.
Headteacher Sue Hounslow said: "It really was fun in the sun, thanks to everyone for all their hard work and support."
Source: Dunstable Gazette, 26 July 2006
A Very Clever Cow Indeed!
Clarabelle, famous for her special performances at our village carnival has got to be the smartest cow in the area for she must be the only bovine for miles around to clock up visits to 3 schools in as many days.
Clarabelle would like to say thank you very much to the headteachers of Ashton Middle School in Dunstable, Eaton Bray Lower School and Edlesborough School for allowing her to come and visit the children. At Ashton school, to the delight of the children, she even helped our vicar with an "a-moosing" assembly!
Here is Clarabelle pictured in Eaton Bray High Street making sure we all "herd" about the carnival.
Thank you very much to everyone who supported Clarabelle - both inside and out! We look forward to an "udder" successful visit from Clarabelle again next summer.
Source: Focus, July 2006
EB Lower School - Links with the Community
Our School would like to run a computer club for local Eaton Bray people. This would be free of charge. I hope that it will become a valuable village resource.
The club will be a general introduction to computing, for example, creating documents in Word, inserting pictures, cutting and pasting, sending emails and surfing the web.
The club will be run by Mrs Matthews who is our Early Years teacher and ICT co-ordinator. So don't worry about how little you know, just imagine how much patience she has spending her day with forty, four year olds!
We look forward to meeting you, and welcoming you to our School.
First session, Friday, 9th June in School at 1.30.
Mrs S Hounslow
Head
01525 220 468
Source: Focus, June 2006
Pukka school dinners in Eaton Bray
Jamie Oliver himself may not have visited Eaton Bray Lower School, but he would be proud of the pukka recipes and enthusiasm of everyone involved with the new school dinners.
The governors of the school have held meetings with catering specialists Scolarest and came up with a winning formula; a new cook and a new healthy option menu. On Wednesday afternoon, parents, governors, pupils and the head of Scolarest met to test-drive the new menu.
Head teacher Sue Hounslow said: "We are a high-achieving school and we wanted a school dinner to match. The children are now being given freshly-cooked healthy food. The next step is to create a real restaurant atmosphere where plastic trays are replaced with plates, and children fully engage in conversation and debate."
Source: Leighton Buzzard Observer, 30 May 2006
Ben and Ben are the theme park ride men
Eaton Bray Lower School entered a team of winners in the Bedfordshire and Luton area final of the K'Nex Challenge 2006 at Cranfield University on Friday.
They were Benjamin Baker and Benjamin Johnson (both in Year 4) who had won the school heat of the event earlier in the year.
The area heat of the national competition for pupils aged from seven to 11 involved schools from all over Bedfordshire and Luton, including lower, middle and primary schools up to Year 6.
The brief was to design and build a theme park ride out of K'Nex, and the two Bens produced an excellent design thanks to superb teamwork.
Their design was chosen as the overall winner out of 57, and the judges congratulated them on their hard work commenting on how good their design was considering they were up against teams of older children up to the age of 11.
The boys won a K'Nex set for their school and a box of K'Nex each. They will now be one of two teams representing the Bedfordshire and Luton area in the Anglia regional finals of the challenge in July.
Source: Dunstable Gazette, 24 May 2006