TWO children’s centres in Harlow have been given a clean bill of health following Ofsted inspections. The Meadows Children’s Centre and Burnt Mill Children’s Centre, managed by children’s charity Spurgeons on behalf of Essex County Council, were inspected at the end of March and both…

PERHAPS the most famous deputy headteacher in the UK after his appearance on Educating Essex , Stephen Drew is soon to appear on our screens once again bringing unruly schoolboys into line. In his new self-titled show Mr Drew’s School for Boys the Brentwood county…

93.55% of parents are offered their first or second primary school preference despite increased pressures on primary school places Despite increased pressure on primary school places, Essex County Council has offered 93.55% of parents their first or second choice of primary school. Essex is pleased…

THESE have not been easy times for Abbotsweld primary but it has been good to see that Ofsted have been pleased with the progress the school has made since it was graded as “Requires Improvement” late last year. But the government watchdog has returned and…

PUPILS were kept indoors at a Harlow school this week after parents raised their concerns about the high pollution levels of smog in the area. Primary pupils at Pear Tree Mead Primary and Nursery School near Southern Way were kept inside after the school decided…

A BULLY Beat Workshop featuring children from Cooks Spinney Primary School in Harlow. The Songwriting Charity is working in partnership with Essex County Council as part of the Positive Assertive Confidence Skills Programme (PACS). They are funded to deliver songwriting workshops to pupils who complete…

RECENTLY, twenty four St Mark’s students from Years 10 – 13 and three staff took part in a Business and French language trip to Paris. The best way to see any city is on foot and over the three days, in addition to Notre Dame,…

HERE IS a full list, supplied to us by the National Union of Teachers, of which schools in Harlow and Epping are closed, partially closed or fully open. 1 ABBOTSWELD PRIMARY SCHOOL Harlow, Mostly Closed 2 BUCKHURST HILL PRIMARY SCHOOL Buckhurst Hill, Completely Closed 3…

SHEERING PRIMARY has been re-visited by Ofsted after an earlier inspection informed the school that it required improvement. The most recent visit still has a number of criticisms and reccomendations. The reports findings are: 1.Your action plan sets out clearly how you aim to tackle…

CHILDREN have been inspiring their families to cook healthy meals at home. Year 4 pupils at Roydon Primary School, in Epping Road, Roydon, are enjoying regular cooking lessons, taking home their dishes to be finished and cooked with their families. The first week saw them…

TEACHERS across Harlow are set to strike next week as part of a national day of action national strike action. The National Union of Teachers’ (NUT) will strike next Wednesday (March 26) as part of a campaign to protect pay, pensions and teachers’ workload. Members…

School fetes are so last season! At Freshwaters Primary Academy, it’s all about the Party in the Park. Pupils and teachers at the school, in School Lane, Harlow, are busy planning the outdoor event which they hope will bring the whole community together for an…

GOVERNMENT watchdog Ofsted has praised the rate of progress made at Little Parndon after the school was told that it “Required Improvement” Ofsted came back into the school in March for a monitoring visit and made the following observations. Immediately after the inspection, you took…

IT’S not all glamour living in the world of football, students have been learning. Chief scout at Manchester United football club, Jim Lawlor, spoke with GCSE PE students at Burnt Mill Academy to give them an insight into the profession. He told how it takes…