Prime Minister praise for High Wycombe school (From Bucks Free Press)

Prime Minister praise for High Wycombe school

4:22pm Wednesday 13th January 2010 in

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PRIME Minister Gordon Brown praised the achievements of a High Wycombe school at a Downing Street reception honouring the country's most improved schools.

Castlefield School headteacher Matthew Flannigan travelled to Number 10 with dozens of other headteachers from the UK's most improved schools for Monday's celebration.

Mr Brown and Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Ed Balls, addressed the gathered headteachers, thanking them for their 'hard work and dedication'.

The pair then spent about an hour chatting to the school leaders over refreshments.

Mr Flannigan said knocking on the Number 10 door was a “surreal experience” and hopes it will not be the last time the Middle Way-based school is recognised for its achievements.

He said: “It was all very surreal, you see these receptions and high profile meetings in Downing Street on the news, and then you're knocking on the door of Number 10 asking to come in.

“We were given a guided tour of the building before the Prime Minister and Ed Balls addressed us, it's at times like that you forget your political views and stop to think, I'm actually talking to the top man in Number 10.

“Mr Brown was actually very impressive, he thanked us all for our work and said how a good education was a fundamental part of a child's life. The two of them spent a lot of time walking around talking to us.

“I had quite a long chat with Mr Balls, who asked me what challenges as a school we had overcome and what had worked and not worked for us, it was all very good.”

Castlefield School has posted improved SATS results for the past two years, with the percentage of students gaining level four or above in English and Maths jumping from 61 per cent to 73 per cent, and 39 per cent to 79 per cent respectively.

Mr Flannigan, who joined the school in 2007, paid tribute to the hard work of teachers and pupils in the school's turn around.

He said: “The biggest thing we have done is to give the children some belief and confidence in themselves that they can achieve and have high expectations.

“They are as good as anyone in the area but I don't think they believed it with the past reputation the school once had.

“But the improved exam results has proven to them that they can achieve and they now believe in themselves.

"It is a credit to everyone at the school and I hope this isn't the last time the school is invited to these kind of ceremonies.”