Tower and Town, April 2023

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Notes From A Ukrainian Mother

My name is Taisiya, and I currently live in Marlborough with my children. I have a son who is five years old and who is a pupil at St Mary’s school. I would like to share with you my impressions on his learning experience in an English primary school.  

There is a very high level of motivation, which seems to start right from the children in kindergarten. My son received a certificate in front of the whole school, and he was given a star pendant with his name in cube-shaped beads.  

This has encouraged him to go to school and to approach his studies with great enthusiasm.  

I see many forms of motivation in the school: colouring books as gifts; a birthday celebration for Froggy the frog, who teaches them letters and reading; lessons in making cakes and baking bread with their own hands; and letters of thanks to the children, presented at school assemblies with lots of applause.  There is so much to inspire the children. It’s wonderful.