Our School
The School
Brinkworth Earl Danby's School is a Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School. It was opened is 1992 as a result of the federation of two schools in adjacent villages - Brinkworth County Primary School and Earl Danby's School, Dauntsey. The federation of two schools means that both buildings are kept open but the original two schools run as one, with one headteacher, one governing body and one staff. The school is called Brinkworth Earl Danby's CE VC Primary School and we are a split site school. The sites are two miles apart, with both locations on spacious sites within beautiful rural North Wiltshire.
Both sites have wonderful outdoor playground equipment, a hard playing area and a good-sized playing field. The Reception Class has a covered play area, which allows them access to the outdoors whatever the weather.
At Upper School, the classrooms are housed in purpose-built accommodation, which opened in 1993. The original building has been upgraded and modernised to provide improved administration facilities and also houses the library and a hall, which is used for assembly, lunches and P.E.
In 2002, we were delighted to receive a DfES School Achievement Award in recognition of improved standards in English, maths and science.
During the summer of 2003, a multi use games area (MUGA) was constructed at the Upper School site, which enhanced facilities for PE. The MUGA is also used by the community for tennis, netball and village football out of school time.
A new purpose-built hall was completed at Lower School in December 2004 and officially opened in April 2005.
A new Link building, housing the Upper School library, was added in 2005. It is now used for small group work, music lessons and contains a quiet reading area.
Our work on the 'Healthy School Programme' (click here to read more), which was described as exemplary, was officially recognised in the summer of 2005 and we have been awarded the ActiveMark, both in 2007 and 2008.
Our Lower School buildings were refurbished in 2009. We are delighted with the alterations and are now able to enjoy much improved facilities at our Dauntsey site.
The new outdoor area at Lower School was completed in April 2011 and provides a wonderful extension to the learning environment for children in our Foundation and Key Stage 1 classes.
The Lower School hall kitchen was extended in August 2015 and now provides much improved catering facilities.
The school has become popular with parents from a wide area and every child is respected, valued and encouraged to learn effectively in a variety of contexts. Members of the school community remain informed about the work of the school through regular newsletters and meetings. Parents are their children's first teachers and through working together we can achieve the best for every pupil.
Organisation
The school is organised into six classes. Foundation (Reception)/Year 1, Year1/Year 2 and Year 2/Year 3 are at Lower School and Years 4, 5 and 6 are at Upper School. The Headteacher works at both sites.
A variety of teaching is used; whole class, smaller group work or individual. This is dependent upon the task, the ability of the child and the desired outcome. We consider it of utmost importance that the task challenges each child, so the more able children are given extension work while others may need extra support. The class teacher or a teaching assistant, working under the direction of the class teacher, may provide support. This may vary from subject to subject; a child who experiences little difficulty with the basic skills of literacy and numeracy may require support with practical tasks.
All classrooms are well equipped and have interactive whiteboards and classroom computers.
The hall and community facilities at Lower School and the MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) at Upper School are regularly used by community groups and local people on a lettings basis.
School Sessions
To assist parents who transport their children to school, each site starts and finishes the school day at different times as follows:
Upper School
morning 8.45am - 12.00pm
afternoon 1.00pm - 3.15pm
assembly 2.55pm
Lower School
morning 9.00am -12.00pm
(8.30am for 'Drop & Go')
Year 3 start at 8.45am
afternoon 1.00pm - 3.00pm
assembly 2.30pm
Both sites break for 15 minutes in the morning and at Lower School there is a 10 minute break in the afternoon.
Brinkworth is a village with a church upon a hill
It is peaceful all year round, the perfect place to chill
Walking down the road I see the little school
The girls chatter excitedly, the boys try to look cool
The lovely smell of baking, as in cookery they bake
The giggles and the fun as they do wake and shake
Then into class they file so happy and so smiley
Learning lessons from their teacher Mrs Evans Wiley
Learning about history, English and German too
But learning in a fun way in everything they do
The school bell it rings, is it really time to go?
Out in a single file the happy children flow
Calling to their parents of all the things they've done
How well they did today into parents arms they run
A train clatters down the track, it is time I believe
For me to jump upon that train so sad that I must leave.
by Gary Wickson