At the close of two busy and lively years in the village of Corsley, the Steiner Academy Frome finished its final term on the site of the Victorian schoolhouse on 16th July.
The children left as they had arrived, through an arch of willow and flowers, all a bit older and wiser, and no longer strangers to each other at all. As they had all walked to school on day one, so, when the final assembly had finished, they walked away, with some sadness and much gratitude.
Hazel Jarman, class teacher said, “In all weathers and seasons, the children were able to benefit from walking the beautiful footpaths in the surrounding countryside. It’s been a wonderful place to start the school.”
The principal, Trevor Mepham said, “Going into Corsley Centre the day after the end of term was strange. It had become, once more, just a building, no longer a school bustling with all the life that children bring.
“We will miss the warmth and friendliness of our near-neighbours, the Little Cuckoos pre-school group, and we will remember with fondness the visits from Richard Dean, who brought news and letters from the children of Juba, in South Sudan and the kindness of Reverend Norma Payne, Judith Helliar and Di Britten in letting us use the local church, St. Margaret of Antioch.
“We are looking forward to making friends with our new neighbours and becoming an active and valuable part of the Frome community.”
There is still much to do over the summer, as the school looks forward to moving to Frome, their permanent home by the park. Once a hospital that cared for people for over a hundred years, the buildings will become a place of learning and endeavour for many, many children in the years ahead.
