We take a look around The Windmill School, in Brookside, Telford , in our Love Your School feature.
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00:00Right, we're here at Windmill Primary School in Telford. They've got some great facilities
00:05outdoors including a pond and a nice woodland area that was built some time ago. Let's go
00:10and have a look at some of the things the kids are getting up to and what they're loving.
00:14They've got a bridge first of all that looks very fun. The lads are having a good time
00:23on the swing as well. Is that good for the lad? Yes. Is it your turn now? I don't know.
00:36And here we find headteacher Mark Gibbons who's been here for some time, must feel a
00:41bit like part of the furniture. Mark, what a wonderful school you've got here at Windmill
00:47Primary School. What do you love most first of all? The children. I think I decided when
00:53I came here 18 years ago that I would stay for as long as I felt useful and purposeful
00:59and I think the children in Brookside are children that I love working with and so yes,
01:04I've stayed and I'll probably end up staying longer as well. Mark, you've got a lot of
01:08other unique things as well like three screens in the classroom. Tell us a bit more about
01:12that. We believe in giving children the best opportunities so for example we guarantee
01:18that every child who comes to Windmill will learn to play a violin or a cello. Every child
01:23in Year 3 does that and then the children who are particularly able and entranced will
01:28respond to that through Year 4 classrooms. Tell us a bit more about that. We believe
01:32in giving children the best opportunities so for example we guarantee that every child
01:37who comes to Windmill will learn classrooms with three screens so that every child in
01:41Year 3 does that and then the children who are particularly able and entranced will respond
01:46to that through Year 4, 5 and 6. But then also with technology we want children to have the
01:51tools to carry on with a lesson without fear. Tell us about this wonderful space. You've
01:58got great outdoor facilities with ponds and the things they can learn in the outdoor classroom.
02:02It was originally a farm wasn't it? The whole estate is quite a new estate but the school
02:11was founded when we became Windmill Primary School in 2006. Soon after that we got a grant
02:16which enabled us to develop this space. The field that you can see behind the trees there
02:22used to come all the way through here to the fence line but we used this grant to help
02:27us plant trees, fence off this area, dig the pond, make the outdoor classroom which is
02:35also the hide and 15 years later it kind of feels like it's always been here. The kids
02:41are having a great time. Do you think there's anything about Windmill that is particularly
02:44unique or that you're especially proud of in particular? I've got to give great credit
02:51to the staff team at Windmill. I know every headteacher would probably say the same thing
02:55that they've got the best staff team but I actually would say that Windmill has got the
02:59best staff team. They are so dedicated to the children learning, growing. Our vision
03:06is that children will grow, so G-R-O-W, they'll become generous, resilient, optimistic and
03:12wise and we help them to do that. So I'm proud of everyone but particularly proud of the
03:16staff for their commitment. Absolutely fantastic school, thanks ever so much for having us
03:20and the kids are having a great time. Thank you very much. So guys, what a wonderful school
03:25you've got here at Windmill Primary School and a cool little pond as well. First of all,
03:31what do you love the most about your school? I just hope that the teachers are not strict
03:37and just let us have a free roam around here if we're allowed to. Do you have lots of fun
03:45in the pond area? Do you learn a lot about the environment and the animals that are in
03:49it? Yeah. What about yourself, what do you love the most? I love that our teachers make
03:54fun lessons and that we get golden time as well and we also get to come in the wildlife
03:59area as well. Okay, what about yourself, is there a particular thing that you love the
04:04most and you look forward to the most when you come to school? The thing that I love
04:11most is that the teachers are kind. Ah, the teachers are very kind, that's great to hear.
04:15Well it's a fantastic school you've got here, thanks ever so much for showing us around
04:19and your wonderful pond. Hello guys, you making some music? What's your names? What's your
04:26name? Arthur. Yeah, and what's your name? Arthur Evans. Go on then Arthur, play us a tune,
04:31go on let's see what you've got. Lovely.