Nostalgia Saturday NOVEMBER 09 - For Pages 4 to 5 - Use 9pic 300 word template

Text for Saturday Spread on Beacon status for PenningtonSchool

Headline: School was a shining light to others aftergaining beacon status for quality

Straline: Pennington staff and pupils forge neweducational links with places of learning in Arnside, Carlisle, Millom,Milnthorpe and Kendal

A SOUTH Cumbrian school proved itself to be a shininglight to others in 2001 when it used its prestigious beacon status to spreadthe education methods which made it special.

The Mail, on Monday, March 19, noted: "Pennington Cof E School has been identified as one of the best performing schools in thecountry.

"The village school, near Ulverston, has receivedtop SAT's results and has shown it excels in many areas of teaching andmanagement.

"The school will receive £90,000 over a three-yearperiod from the Government."

Headteacher Jeni Boothman said: "We have the moneyto start building up a partnership with other schools.

"They have got things to offer us.

"Lots of schools have things to offer each other andit's all about working together as a partnership.

"We would not like people to think we aremarvellous.

"We are a good school and there are a lot of goodschools in Cumbria.

"The children know we have the status but we havetried to play it down a bit so they don't show off."

Pennington had set up a consortium with schools inArnside, Millom, Milnthorpe and Kendal to share good practice.

The article noted: "The group has been nicknamed theLakeside Consortium because it will hold its meetings at the Lakeside Hotel.

"Strategies and projects will be set up betweenteachers to take back to the classsrooms to improve student standards in allareas of education."

The school had also worked to forge links with HoughtonSchool on the outskirts of Carlisle.

It had resulted in Pennington pupils taking part in anintegrated sports event held at the Sands Centre in Carlisle and a visit to theRoman fort at Birdoswald on the route of Hadrian's Wall across the top of thecounty.

Pennington was one of 550 beacon schools throughout thecountry.

The article noted: "The additional funding given toPennington School can be spent buying things for the school, although the newequipment should be shared with other schools."

Mrs Boothman said: "We are allowed to buy things forour own school but it all has to be based on partnership and should helpothers."