The introduction is also posted on Spotify as a podcast by “Gerry at The Health Equation”

You can search Spotify for “Gerry at The Health Equation”

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https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gerrygaj

Below is the specific link

Gerry Gajadharsingh writes:

I have great childhood memories and some of those relate to my primary school in West London.

Just over 50 years ago I attended Wendell Park Primary School in Cobbold Road, Shepherds Bush London, W12. My mother Dorothy, me and my four siblings lived just down the road in Emlyn Gardens in a council flat. School was a five-minute walk away. Life wasn’t easy, as my parents had separated, my father returned to Trinidad and my mother was left in London bringing up the five of us. She worked hard (in various jobs, including looking after special needs children and working in play groups) to support us, nurture and love us and provide us with the values that have held us in good stead for all of our lives. Wendell Park School and it’s amazing teachers were part of the process of supporting our development and our values. I still remember many of the names of our wonderful teachers, they left such a lasting impression on us.

I remember turning up one day at school and being told by Mr Singh our lovely maths teacher (sadly now passed away) that I would be sitting a “test” that day. No drama, no anticipated anxiety, we just got on with it. It turned out to be the 11 plus. I passed and was able to go onto St Clement Danes Grammar School another amazing chapter in my life. In those days there was no expensive tutoring, no months of anxiety and tension worrying about passing the “test”, simply the brilliance of the teachers and a supportive environment provided by my mother, allowing me to get on with it.

Being first generation (legal) immigrants, from a mixed-race family (Irish/Trinidadian), growing up in a council flat in Inner London, and being poor, we were taught not to be entitled, nor to expect the state to support us but to be self-sufficient as best as we could. With all of my siblings going onto to develop successful careers, we perhaps defied the derogatory stereotype and pays testament to the importance of family (even one parent families) AND brilliant teachers.

One of the most enjoyable subjects at Wendell Park was our music lessons provided by an inspirational teacher called Miss Mitchell. Now I am absolutely rubbish at music and appalling at singing, but she made me the glockenspiel King and I was so proud at being able to contribute during the various concerts we had in those days (I couldn’t read music to save my life so Miss Mitchell simply put numbers on the glockenspiel and all I did was to play the numbers!).

Recently I was privileged to have been invited back to Wendell Park Primary School by the headteacher Rosemarie Peters. I attended with one of my siblings, Anthony and my mother, now 84 years of age.

It was to watch and celebrate a musical extravaganza organised by their  music teacher Nicole Latham, full of fun and energy and transmitted to all the pupils.

Going back to Wendel Park after not visiting for 50 years was quite emotional. The external façade was very familiar and the hall where the concert was held still seemed to have the climbing bar apparatus that we used 50 years ago, but a school is more than the physical infrastructure, it’s about the people, the leadership, the teachers, the ethos and values with the aim of importing these to the pupils to set them up for Life.

From having minimal music instruments from when my brother Anthony visited five years ago, to now having a wide variety of musical instruments was fantastic (I understand this was possible due to external donations, including one from my brother Anthony). The concert was extraordinary. It seemed as if all of the children were involved in different ways and in different groups and using the whole range of instruments. There was even one pupil who had written the lyrics and melody of her own song and with help from Nicole and one of her school friends performed her wonderful song (watch out Britain’s Got Talent).

What was also extraordinary was the exemplary behaviour of the children, sitting on the floor in front of us waiting their turn, immediately being quiet went told to, changing around quickly and the respect they had for each other as they moved back to their sitting places and avoiding standing on each other! Given the concert went on for 1 ½ hours and given that the attention span of young children (apparently) is minimal, this was another extraordinary achievement.

It is clear that Rosemary Peters is an amazing leader. Her engagement with both parents, visitors and of course the children was extraordinary. So many of the children came up to hug her, despite being very busy she had time for everyone.

She obviously also has a wonderful team around her, including Nicole Latham, who organised such a fantastic concert.

With the chaos and uncertainty in the world that surrounds us, it is clear that schools like Wendell Park are providing much needed support for our children and through the participation of music, developing soft but critical skills such as confidence via performance, teamwork, coordination, listening, psycho motor skills, pattern development to name a few. All all of these things contribute positively to their personal, academic and social development. It is well accepted that such non-academic subjects like music and sport/physical activity are critical to childhood development, especially in primary years (government take note).

With the economic and financial strain so evident on individuals, families, organisations and the state, events like this can act as a way of reaching out to explore ways to help funding such initiatives (such as buying musical instruments, although there are many other potential initiatives) outside of what the state can currently provide.

Congratulations Wendell Park Primary School I look forward to seeing and to help support your development in the years to come.