CHILDREN and parents raced to the school gates for the first time in 2021 yesterday. The first milestone in the Government’s roadmap to ease lockdown restrictions meant that schoolchildren could make that eagerly-awaited return to the classroom yesterday, putting the days of home learning behind them. Among those excited to get back to class were Helen Gelling’s children Amelia, four, and Matthew, eight, of Parkside Academy. Darcie Mai, age six, headed back to Cambridge Primary School, Sophia, nine, went back to St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in Ulverston, and at Barrow Island Community Primary School, sisters Ruby-Marie, 10, and Gracie-Flo, eight prepared for a day of fun with their classmates.
GANGSTER: Ellie Strong, age 7, as Gangsta Granny FIERCE: Rosie Bentley,age 7, as the tiger who came for tea. HUNGRY:Rory, age 3, as the Hungry Caterpillar Despite Covid-19 restrictions children were still able to celebrate the day, with many getting involved in online activities organised by their school. At Parkside Academy, Barrow, the school’s teachers have been reading a bedtime story each night and uploading them onto the school’s Facebook page. HAPPY: Lucas, age 2, as Dumbo SPACEMAN: Ellis, age 4 . While at Allithwaite CE Primary School children made their favourite book characters together over Zoom. And at Yarlside Academy, Roose, pupils donned their pyjamas and journalistic hats to cover the court case of ‘killer cat’ Tuffy from ‘The Diary of a Killer Cat’ by Anne Fine.
The sound of building work was reverberating through St James’ Junior School in Barrow in 1997. The work at the Victorian school building would provide an extra classroom, an improved lay-out, a second entranceway and new toilet facilities. The project went ahead after discussions with the Department for Education and Employment in London to secure the £70,000 needed to fund the work. Head teacher Angela Rawlinson said: “What we’re trying to do is re-design the school to meet the needs of the present day and the national curriculum.” The next project for the school was to be the establishment of a library, for which it was hoped to attract money from the Government fund for school improvements and from the local business community.