Welcome from the Chair of The Local Governing Body

This year, across the country and across the Commonwealth, celebrations have been held to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Her Late Majesty the Queen. Meanwhile another but perhaps no less significant Jubilee, at least for local families, has passed almost without notice. 2022 marks fifty years since our school was founded in Freshbrook Road. It began life as East Lancing Primary School with just five classes under the leadership of Mr Dennis Elliott, the first Headteacher. Very soon the name was changed to the more familiar Thornberry School in recognition of the tireless campaign of Mr Jack Thornberry and his father to establish a school for the children living on this side of the village. Jack Thornberry was passionate about education and was actively involved in the new school, serving as Chair of Governors.

There is a certain fascination in looking back to those early years. Teachers wrote on whiteboards with coloured markers while the children made use of simple cartridge pens; technology meant lessons delivered by means of television or radio programmes or the recently invented Overhead Projector. Communication between parents and the school was by landline or letter, some of the latter lurking at the bottom of schoolbags for a number of weeks. How thankful we must be for for ParentMail!

The world of education has changed enormously over the past five decades and Seaside remains at the forefront of those changes. As a Local Governing Body we are totally committed to meeting the needs of today's pupils and indeed those who will come after them as we await the construction of our new Sports Hall. In fulfilling our responsibility to oversee the management of the school we continue to support the Director of Education and the Senior Leadership Team in providing opportunities for all our children to reach their full potential, to become lifelong learners and to develop a sense of belonging and of self worth.

The world Jack Thornberry knew has moved on but I believe he would be very proud of "his" school as it stands today, recognising that same passion for education and the shared values to which we aspire.

Sue Main

Chair of The Local Governing Body