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The award of the medal of the Holy Cross, ‘Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice’, the highest award by the Papacy for distinguished service and dedication to the Roman Catholic Church, was made in South Ascot today to mark an amazing 25 years service to Catholic education by Mrs Jackie Wilson. Normal 0  Mrs Wilson’s 25 years as head teacher of St Francis Catholic Primary School was marked by Mass celebrated by Bishop Crispian Hollis, Bishop of the Portsmouth Catholic Diocese, who also made the presentation of the medal today (Wednesday July1, 2009). The service was held in St Francis of Assisi RC Parish Church, Coronation Road, South Ascot. Readings, bidding prayers and altar service was carried out by older pupils from the school while younger pupils mimed out the readings. The celebration was joined by pupils, staff, school governors, local Catholic head teachers and parishioners. St Francis Parish Priest Father Charlie McCloskey said,” Today was a very important day for Jackie Wilson, for St Francis School and for the parish community. It is a memorable event when a school celebrates having one head teacher for 25 years. It is a very special occasion when our Bishop celebrates Mass to mark her forthcoming retirement and a uniquely special day when someone receives such an important award from the Pope.”  1984 TO 2009 In September 1984 I became the fifth Headteacher of St Francis School since 1899 – following in the footsteps of · Mother Bonaventure (1899 – 1939) and · Mother Peter (1939 – 1966) both nuns from St Mary’s · Basil Watts (1966 – 1974) and · Molly Sutherland-Dodd (1974 – 1984). I have tried, as they did, to keep the distinctive nature of St Francis as a Catholic school in the forefront of my mind. I have always enjoyed working with children. Here at St Francis, in line with our Mission Statement, we try to care for each child as an individual, challenge them appropriately, encourage them to do their very best and celebrate all possible achievements. We appreciate that the grounding gained in a good Catholic primary school can stand individuals in good stead in later life and hope that each child will leave this school as a well rounded individual very much wanting to carry on learning and to develop to their full potential. Since 1984 – a pre-National Curriculum year – I have worked with · four Parish Priests · nine Chairs of Governors · approximately twenty PTA Chairs · two Secretaries / Bursars (for precisely twelve and a half years each!) · two Caretakers and one Site Controller. Throughout these years I am so very grateful that I have been able to count on the unfailing help and support of the Diocese of Portsmouth and firstly Berkshire then Windsor and Maidenhead as Local Education Authorities. I have also very much valued the opportunity of working alongside fellow Headteachers in the Patterns of Partnership (POP) East Berkshire Diocesan group of eight schools and the local Ascot cluster of five schools. A great sense of camaraderie prevails – not least in the regular POP meeting pub lunches and Ascot teas! During these years the school has had three Ofsted inspections linked to three Diocesan inspections/validations. The role of the Headteacher has grown and changed DRAMATICALLY in these years. One startling fact to underline this is that the only budget for which we were then responsible was some annual £4,500 purely for curriculum purposes, everything else being determined by the LEA. (As an example, in my first term I clearly remember the Secretary and I being overjoyed that she had been given an allowance for a £180 new typewriter. £180!!) You can understand then why we, as a school, leapt at the chance to be one of the first to take control of our own complete budget as soon as that became possible under Local Management of Schools (LMS). REMEMBER WHEN? In the grounds · the playframe in KS1 was installed as the first piece of large play equipment · the grass / mud area under the trees became the KS2 Fitness Trail dedicated to Richard Andrews, PTA Chair who died in post · parents, staff and children united to dig the pond · the waist high Friary Road wall and gates which allowed two tramps to regularly sleep in what is now the Quiet Garden In the building · Classes R, 1 and 2 were all totally open plan · the entire flat roof had to be reroofed (the parish/school “Raise the Roof” campaign · all the lights had to be upgraded to fluorescent · the Kiln was in Classes 3 and 4 cloakroom · the Library was, at one time the Headteacher’s office (with a door onto the Hall apparently offering an incomparable view), then a Resource Room · the SEN area was a boys’ toilet · the DT room (and part of the now adjacent toilets) was the combined Secretary’s Office and Staffroom · the Music room was the Headteacher’s Office · the Medical Room complete with weekly changed bed next door to the Head’s room became the Secretary’s office (daylight only from a skylight) SATs were introduced · KS1 whole curriculum testing · KS2 1998 St Francis 1st in Berkshire / 3rd in England and in 2000, due to KS2’s results, a government Achievement Award which the school divided up so that all full-time members of staff received £250 and part-time £125. A HUGE change for the better came about in 1999 – 2000, a truly Millennium project, when building included · the entire administration block · KS1’s corridor · extensions to Classes 1, 3,4,5 and 6 · the resiting from the shared areas of KS2 of outdated toilets freeing up space and · the reduction in size of the kitchen to allow for a chair/table storage space and an area for the Site Controller. The school has grown from the 1984 · six teachers and one hundred and seventy children taught in vertically grouped classes throughout · piecemeal school uniform · no administration assistants · limited number of volunteers and no Teaching Assistants · one computer · one television and video recorder as education has developed. In September 1990, St Francis Playgroup started in what is now known as the spare classroom. This reversed a possible downward trend in roll to such effect that the school soon needed the seventh classroom and the by now Pre-School was asked to continue its association with the school but in a separate building which it did in 1995. I feel very privileged to have been able to serve this community of children, parents and staff over the years. It is fascinating to see children in school today whose parents were here as children themselves – the eldest currently in Year 5. It has been good too to have been contacted by former pupils now working abroad who have been in contact with each other via the ex-St Francis Facebook. The Challenge Day, planned for 8 July, will give me a fun opportunity to share with the children some of the changes that have taken place over the last twenty-five years with e.g. plans, photos, crossword puzzles and word searches.
Father Aidan, Bishop Crispian, Mrs Jackie Wilson, Mr Alan Wilson and and Father Charlie, on July 1, 2009
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