The end of an era

The infant and junior schools, which share the same site, will be amalgamating to form Eldene Primary, a move which Mrs Wright fully approves.

I think it will be excellent. The two buildings are right next door to each other and there will be a joint common room, she said.

Mrs Wright started her career in nursing, but went into teaching when her youngest child went to school.

She comes from Canning Town and taught at the Keir Hardie Primary school before coming to Eldene 10 years ago.

She said: I really like being in an open plan school. You can walk into a classroom and no one bats an eyeball, and teachers can co-operate so much more easily under an open plan system.

The staff are smashing, the teachers work so hard that it grieves me they have so much extra paperwork.

I have always had an open door policy, which does not necessarily help our position in the league tables, but I would like to think the school is here for the benefit of the community."