Claire Taylor

CLAIRE TAYLOR
The Junior School performance of Fiddler on the Roof was another resounding success, with Year 6 taking centre stage, giving a performance that was moving, intense and atmospheric. The choir, which was made up of Years 3, 4 and 5, entered into the spirit of the story with singing that was at times powerful while at others had a note of poignancy and sweetness.

The show, very sadly, marks the departure of Junior School music teacher, Mrs Claire Taylor, who is leaving Kingsley to start a new post at a Nottinghamshire school. Mrs Taylor has been a central figure in the musical life of the whole school over the last four years. Besides teaching music throughout the Junior School, Mrs Taylor has run the junior windband, the choir, recorder club, keyboard club and brass club. She has organised children to perform weekly in assembly, in Music in Progress concerts, the Carol Service as well as various whole school concerts and the annual junior show. In fact music plays such an integral part in the life of the school that Mrs Taylor is involved in it on a daily basis in some way.

Besides her responsibility for music in the Junior School, Mrs Taylor has also been the ICT coordinator and has taught ICT to all pupils in KS2. Her expertise in this subject has resulted in her being called upon to support those colleagues less confident than her in this subject. Her teaching has given her pupils an excellent foundation, which they can further develop as they move up through the school.

Mrs Taylor will be missed by both children and staff for her kindness, her outstanding musical skills and her supreme professionalism. We wish her well in her new post.

Ros Parkes

ROS PARKES

The Junior School will also be saying goodbye to Mrs Ros Parkes at the end of this term. Mrs Parkes has been at Kingsley for several years, teaching throughout KS2. She worked hard developing the history curriculum, introducing the ‘Leamington Project’ in which children in Key Stage 2 study the history and geography of the local environment. Her knowledge of local history is vast, and everyone benefits from her experiences.

In 2007 Mrs Parkes decided to cease working full-time so that she could join her husband in running his book business. During the last year she has worked part-time, teaching mostly art and a little history. However, she has decided to cease teaching altogether in order to devote herself to the family business.

Mrs Parkes will be missed for her commitment to teaching and the children, for her humour and for the vast general knowledge that she possesses. We wish her well with the business.