Brentwood Preparatory School Magazine

Brentwood School Preparatory Valete 12 Marcia Alderson Marcia joined Brentwood Preparatory School in 2010 in a part time capacity as maternity leave cover. Later that year she joined as a full-time member of staff as a Year One Class Teacher. Marcia’s creativity and flair for drama and singing was a delight and she brought this passion into her lessons, inspiring her children. She enjoyed teaching English in particular as this gave lots of opportunities for dressing up, her favourites being Blackbeard, Princess Beatrice and a Witch. The children believed that her classroom cupboard was magic as different characters were often emerging to surprise them. She loved the introduction of the Creative Curriculum which gave scope for some really Stunning Starts and Fabulous Finishes (feasts were particularly popular!), indeed anything involving drama and stories kept her happy. Choreographing Abba/Michael Jackson songs in PE Dance lessons was a highlight too. She enjoyed watching the children’s confidence and independence grow during Year One. Pastoral care was something Marcia made a priority so that each child felt that they had a safe and happy environment in the classroom. Her kindness to the children shone through and she will be missed by the children and staff alike. Marcia moved on to pastures new to join her husband and children at New Hall School in Chelmsford (but sadly hasn’t dressed up yet!) and is settling in as a Year Two teacher. Barbara Nuttall Mrs Barbara Nuttall joined the Prep as a Learning Support teacher in 1998 and quickly became a pivotal part of the Prep School team where she specialised in helping children with special educational needs. She also became the coordinator of the very successful Design Technology department. Mrs Nuttall attended Middleton St George College of Education at Durham University where she was awarded her Teachers’ Certificate in 1978. She subsequently went on to achieve a BA from the Open University in 1982 and SENCO qualification in 1994. From 1978 until 1998, Mrs Nuttall gained a great deal of experience teaching in both senior and primary schools throughout the county and quickly gained a reputation of being a first class teacher who always put the interests of her pupils first. It is a testament to her that she is still in contact with many of the schools she taught at and many of the staff that she worked with have become firm friends. Barbara and Trevor are looking forward to spending more time in their holiday home in the Canaries and travelling together inside of term time. They have 3 grown up children; Tom (who was a pupil at the prep back in the days when the prep was a boys’ school), Mary and Alice, who have all taken very different and successful career paths. Earlier this year, the family were delighted to celebrate the arrival of a beautiful granddaughter, Violet, and the ability to be able to spend time with the baby may well have influenced Mrs Nuttall to retire at this time. Although Mrs Nuttall has lived in the Brentwood area for a number of years, she is very proud of her ‘Geordie’ roots and regularly visits her family in the Durham area. Staff