St Edmund’s & St Thomas’s R C Primary School

Seven years I spent in this school, learning my times tables, perfecting my handwriting, avoiding sports days, and eating packed lunch in the grotty dinner centre that smelled of hot cheese.
The school is divided into two buildings, and essentially three areas: reception children are effectively segregated from the burly year-​ones and «tops». For years 3 – 6, children go up to «juniors». There is also a nursery available through the week.
The headteacher and many of the school teachers have changed since I was there, so I can’t comment on teaching standards. With regards to the school building itself, there have been some improvements with new entrance doors, an enhanced play area, and new dining facilities. The building was decrepit when I attended school here; with smashed window, exposed brick work and a dirty, positively dangerous playing field, it needed more than a lick of paint.
St Edmunds is quite a large school and accepts children from outside of the area and christian denomination, besides those of St Edmund’s and/​or St Thomas’s parish.
While I myself represent the progeny of this school, there is some stigma attached to St Edmund’s and St Thomas’s relating to the sector of society it welcomes or rather, acquires. Many feel it is one of the least respected schools, that is less exclusive– less posh, basically.
I don’t know whether that’s fair to say, in my opinion it is true to some extent but not necessarily a disadvantage.