IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Family Stories
Four families on why they chose Clifford All Saints and what they found here — in their own words, as they told them. Each story is also available as a printable PDF.
Clifford All Saints was recommended to Tabitha by a friend and it’s the best recommendation she’s ever had
Tabitha’s daughter Alicia is 9 years old and is in Year 4.
Good reasons to join school
Alicia started at Clifford in Reception. Tabitha says, “My friend recommended Clifford to me. My friend’s daughters are older than Alicia, one is at high school and the other is finishing their A ‘Levels now. She spoke so highly of their school experience and so we had to visit. We were also looking for a school with a Christian ethos, that was important to us. I wanted to be part of a community and for Alicia to enjoy being part of smaller, rather than large class sizes. We found all this and more at Clifford.”
Welcoming and homely
“Clifford has a lovely warm and homely feel. That’s the impression I got when I first visited and I feel it’s been maintained over the years. Alicia’s very first visit was with her dad, Peter, and they enjoyed it so much, Alicia didn’t want to leave. I think being a faith-based school and having a friendly community, that the teachers, parents and children feel part of is what helps make it so welcoming,” says Tabitha.
Visit school
“I’d recommend new parents to come and visit Clifford. I think it’s important to see how your child reacts to the school environment. Alicia is in her fifth year and I can’t believe how much she’s grown. It’s such a lovely school. Alicia has grown academically and as a person, her behavior and social skills have changed so much and I think she’s benefitted from coming to a school with relatively small class sizes but with families from around the world. It’s a diverse school who celebrate Christian values,” says Tabitha.
Children say
Lynn says: “I’ve made lots of friends.”
Jad says: “I like reading new books.”
Clifford All Saints provided a welcoming community when Douaa first moved to the UK with her children
Douaa has Lynn in Year 3, age 8, Jad in Year 1, age 6 and Oubai, age 4 starting Reception this September.
Initially reluctant
Douaa and her children moved to the UK from Abu Dhabi. They made the move last September and are now close to celebrating their first full year at Clifford All Saints. Douaa says, “When I first received the offer from Clifford, I was worried. I had looked at the Ofsted report and didn’t feel confident the school would offer the level of education I wanted for my children. My plan was for them to attend temporarily until they got a place at our chosen school.”
Brilliant new beginning
Douaa’s feelings changed when the children started at Clifford. “I saw the care, support, effort, and quality of education the school provides. Even when my children received offers from other schools, we decided without hesitation to stay at Clifford. Now, even my youngest, Oubai, will be starting Reception this September,” says Douaa.
Supportive headteacher
Douaa has been impressed by the Headteacher at Clifford. Douaa says, “One of the most special things about Clifford is the headteacher. He knows every child by name and even remembers their birthdays. He makes a point of speaking to the children and wishing them a happy birthday, which means so much to them. He’s approachable, kind, and genuinely listens. You feel you can speak to him anytime, and he’ll answer any questions with patience and openness. I feel he’s more than just a headteacher to the children.”
Jennifer needed sanctuary and support and Clifford All Saints has been both, in every possible way
Jennifer Popplewell and her two children have recently returned to England from their home in Spain. Olaia, 8, and Atreus, 5, now attend Clifford All Saints Primary School.
Reflection of faith
When Jennifer returned to the UK less than a year ago, her first priority was to find a new school for her children, and she was very specific about the type of school she was looking for. “We are a practicing Christian family so most important to me was a school which celebrated our faith. I looked at schools closer to where we live but it was Clifford All Saints which immediately stood out: there were depictions of Bible stories everywhere; pictures, beautiful stained glass and an overall atmosphere which so closely reflected my feelings not only about Christianity but about the environment in which I wanted my children to be educated.”
Smooth transition
Because Olaia and Atreus had spent their early education in Spain, the transition to a completely different education system might have been a difficult one but as Jennifer explains, this proved otherwise. “In Spain, the school hours are much shorter, there was no uniform and the teaching methods less child-focused. I would not criticise the system, but I greatly prefer the way that in the UK, and at All Saints in particular, the teaching is more interactive and the children are listened to rather than just being talked to.”
Leaps and bounds
Jennifer has been delighted by how quickly both Olaia and Atreus have adapted. “I’m amazed that they have never complained about the longer hours, and Olaia especially adores her pretty school frock! In Spain, they were both achieving above average in their work but because of the curriculum here they were quite behind. Now, within only a few months they have more than caught up with their peers and I credit their teachers for supporting them so effectively.”
“We moved home but not the school,”… Madhavi knew her son was in the right place at Clifford All Saints
Madhavi and Varun moved to the UK three years ago from India. Their son, Arhan, is 11 years old and attends Clifford All Saints Primary School.
Challenge
Finding a school place mid-term can be difficult, especially when moving to a new country with a completely different education system, so Madhavi and Varun faced a challenge in obtaining somewhere suitable for Arhan when they arrived in Yorkshire in January.
“The primary schools in our catchment area were either oversubscribed or not quite what we wanted, so when we were offered the option of Clifford All Saints, 20 minutes away, we decided that despite the distance, it was worth looking at”, says Madhavi. “When we went to visit, we were really impressed by the warm welcome we were given, and how the staff made a real effort to help with the application process, so we had no hesitation in enrolling Arhan there.”
Distance no object
Within a very short time Arhan had established a close circle of friends, was achieving very well academically and thoroughly enjoying his new school, so when the family moved house to a new area, entailing a longer journey, neither he nor his parents wished to move school as well. “We could have found a school much closer to our new house but Arhan was reluctant to lose his friends and the teachers with whom he had such a good relationship. Although it now takes an hour to school and back, he has no regrets at all, and neither do we.”
Smooth transition
With transition to secondary education coming up, Arhan alongside his Year 6 friends has been given introductions to his new school including visits, mentoring and advice, and will no doubt be glad that Clifford All Saints helped to make his introduction to the UK such a positive and enjoyable experience.
Family stories devised and produced by Stoneworks Education Ltd.