New head teacher loving life at tiny Branton Community Primary School

By Lauren Coulson
Published 28th Sep 2023, 12:00 BST
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A new head teacher has been struck by the differences in working at a small rural school.

Emma Miller, who previously worked at Pegswood Primary School as the deputy head and, for a short period of time, the acting head, is enjoying her first few weeks at the helm at Branton Primary School.

And she has been overwhelmed with the amount of support from the community.

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She said: “The children are absolutely amazing, the families are very supportive and the community in general.

Head teacher Emma Miller with one of her students.Head teacher Emma Miller with one of her students.
Head teacher Emma Miller with one of her students.

“You've got mixed classes here, so you've got different aged children in the same class,” she explained. “It's good fun, but you do have to think a little bit more dynamically.

“You're delivering different parts of the curriculum within the same subject to different year groups. It's making sure that you meet all the needs of every child.”

Upon arrival, Emma set up a summer fun afternoon to encourage the children, the families and the community to go to the school and meet her before the start of the school year. They had races and a cake stall for a family afternoon that was well attended considering the school’s small numbers.

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Emma continued: "We've got below 20 on the register. And we must have had 60 or 70 people through the school that afternoon. I was really quite taken aback by how much support and just how many wet people attended. I was quite overwhelmed by it all to be honest.”

The school's summer fun day which was organised to encourage locals to meet their new head teacher.The school's summer fun day which was organised to encourage locals to meet their new head teacher.
The school's summer fun day which was organised to encourage locals to meet their new head teacher.

She has also received positive feedback for the new additions at the school, including a free parent and toddler group, which offers provision for children aged 2 to 11, and three new school clubs, including multi skills, cooking and gardening, and football.

On top of the positive response to their new head teacher, Emma and the school are also proud of their students for their participation in the recent village shows, with one child in particular having won the Sarah Wilson memorial cup for the second year running. This cup is won by winning the most points across all shows.

"For a school our size, we've done quite well,” Emma added.

Emma said she has loved every minute as the new head teacher at Branton Community Primary School and Breamish Valley Nursery, and looks forward to her future ahead with them.