Businesslike approach is paying dividends for Tiptree school (From Gazette)

Businesslike approach is paying dividends for Tiptree school

4:00pm Monday 13th February 2012 in News By Caroline Tilley

ST LUKE'S Church of England Primary School is having no truck with the cuts.

In common with every school in Essex, the Tiptree primary’s county council funding won’t increase this year, and is unlikely to do so for the foreseeable future.

Yet a combination of determination and smart planning means it is now offering more pupils and parents more than ever.

Children have the chance to study philosophy, parents and kids are being offered classes in social skills and the school library has just been revamped and brought up to date.

St Luke’s is not only surviving, but thriving these challenging times.

It’s all down to staff and governors realising they work in an institution which is both a school and a business.

Headteacher Wendy Enguell explained: “Education has changed enormously, but you have to look for the opportunity, rather than moan about what has gone.

“We’re always looking at making the school the best it can be for the children. We had to come up with ideas if we wanted to keep what we had already built.”

About a year ago, staff undertook to organise children’s activities during the holidays.

In exchange for offering parents a safe and fun place for their children during the day, they charged a modest fee, offering classes including archery, baking, chocolate making, forensics and something called “mad science”.

At present, the holiday classes are only breaking even, but the plan for the long term is for them to bring in enough money to help the school to continue expanding the things it offers.

Mrs Enguell, who has headed the school’s staff since 2001, said: “There is a need for the service in the area and we are getting people coming back each time.

“Obviously, we are doing something right.

“We have 13 weeks a year where there would otherwise be nobody on the premises, so it made sense.

“As we go into the second year, it is looking more promising.

“The sessions are run to help us sustain what we are doing in a time when school budgets are being effectively cut back and we are being given more commitments.”

Although they have proved popular with St Luke's’ own youngsters, the holiday activities are also attracting children from other schools.

Income is important. Sessions cost from £12 for two hours of karate, which might not be affordable to all, so the school is trying to fund places for children from lower-income families.

Business manager Tracey Davies, said: “We were lucky enough to have funding in the budget last year to pay for those children from families on lower incomes, but the funding has come to an end.

“One of my aims is to get money to fund those children, so they can come again.”

Mrs Davies says the school is now looking for other ways it could earn money to help fund the things it wants to do.

One teacher recently qualified to teach philosophy, and Mrs Davies said they were considering loaning him out to other schools which wanted to offer courses.

She said: “Whatever we make as a surplus goes back into the organisation.

“Education is forever changing and you shouldn’t see change as negative, but instead, be looking for the next opportunity.

“Everyone is interested in keeping this moving forward.

“We don’t want to make money for making money’s sake. We want to offer services which are needed, which help us sustain what we have here and help us to create more.”

Her boss, Mrs Enguell, added: “It’s lovely to be able to offer what we have, but we can’t do that without the finance.”