The Eleventh Head teacher - Dave Walsh

 

Mr Walsh joined the school on 1st February 2002.
At this point in the school's history, the Head teacher was due to teach within the school for three days a week and undertake the 'Head teacher' duties on the other two. The first day that he met students of the school was on the day of his commencement, no other 'induction' time having been possible during the previous months.

In the first years of Mr Walsh's time the school changed in outlook and approach, with a greater focus on children's needs. The 'portacabin' assembly hall was replaced by a whole new building in 2002; the playground was resurfaced and the equipment and facilities for children were upgraded and improved for all. Over the fifteen years that Mr. Walsh was in charge of the school, its reputation blossomed as a place where children could be happy and well cared for. The school's key stage 1 results became outstanding over an eight year stretch with a change in every student's approach and attitude.

The school developed a range of extra curricular activities which were very popular (such as its cinema club, outings club and multiple sports clubs) as well as enhancing the school provision by two minibuses which were used to provide a wide range of extra sporting activity from championship trampolining, ten pin bowling and racquet sports (squash, lacrosse and tennis) through to abseiling, caving and even zorbing during the annual residential and 'long day' experiences provided for the children.

The school became a thriving community and developed its marketing and resource base (including providing a very favourable pupil:computer ratio) whilst attracting both local and more distant children to its family atmosphere (it had developed an excellent reputation for caring for children with additional educational needs including providing a bespoke provision for them between 2014 and 2017).

Music and arts became a more important part of the children's experiences with dedicated music lessons (leading to a very successful Recorder group, guitar group and whole class ocarina,recorder and ukulele lessons), artsmark standard and work alongside the Royal Opera House and National Philharmonia orchestra [plus , possibly, the best Kids discos in the whole of Eastling on a regular basis provided by the Friends group!]

The school held a number of awards and standards including artsmark, safe schools, ICT mark, Green flag award, Investors in people, Sports standard, International school, healthy school standard and a selection of others. It also won several competitions in this period including design, sport, music and even Railway modeling awards!

 

Mr Walsh retired in 2017 and was succeeded by the school's twelfth Head teacher, Mrs Melanie Dale.

from 2002:

through to 2017: