A Brief History of the School 1988 - 1997

The Eighth Headteacher - Mr Phillip Farnham

1998 - July 1997

Mr Farnham's time at the school represented a most harmonious period when the school moved along "nicely". Children progressed well and Eastling remained the home of traditional village school values. Eventually, Mr Farnham was tempted to leave Eastling for a position in a larger Canterbury School, sadly leaving at the end of the Summer Term 1997.
The most important happening during Mr Farnham's time was obtaining a large portacabin-like structure from the old Northbourne colliery.
It had been previously used as office accommodation but became surplus to requirements with the closing of the mines in that area, and the school acquired it with great excitement. It became the school hall. Until this time assembly had been taken in the larger of the classrooms in the main school which then housed the youngest children.

It was a considerable disturbance to the class teacher on a daily basis. Fitting 120 children into one room was quite a squeeze. We were also able to use the new hall for lunch. Before it arrived meals had to be eaten in classrooms, with all the inconvenience that caused. We were able to use it for P.E. too.
We had until then had to go to the old village hall for any activities needing lots of space. Unlike the school's new building it was a cold and dreary place. It wasn't the most beautiful of structures but we were very pleased to have it.

The hall served the school well until January 2002.
It had been a great venue for assemblies, discos and activities but was in a very sad state - local residents broke in every weekend and the asbestos insulation was tattered and torn and blowing all over the field.
After saying this, it was ceremoniously taken to pieces (3 in fact) and moved off the site, probably to be given to some new unsuspecting host!

 

The Ninth Headteacher - Mrs Joyce Jaynes

July 1997 - Dec 1997

Mrs Jaynes held the fort at the school during the Autumn Term 1997 whilst the Governors found a permanent Head teacher to take over this idyllic village school.
"I enjoyed looking at the Eastling School site and was delighted to see my name recorded in the headteacher slot July 97 - December 97.
I have many happy memories of Eastling as I was there as deputy head for more than 15 years".