The importance of education at Ottery St Mary Primary School

A few days ago, while watching a quiz program on the TV, I was flooded with a wave of nostalgia as I realised how much of what I had learnt at primary school was helping me answer the questions. The list was longer than I thought, but I will mention two examples: remembering the order of the letters in the alphabet and my timetables. All in Spanish, these memories act as a warm, nostalgic reminder of the significant role of early education in shaping our memory due to the connection between its sound and our childhood memory.

It's not about culture or age; it's about the education system at that level. While I could recall the date of the discovery of America, thanks to a poem I had to learn at school, my partner could answer some questions thanks to the nursery rhymes he remembered. Is it about instilling values? Were those early values the seeds of our present habits, conduct, understanding of abstract concepts, tolerance, mutual respect, honesty, assertiveness, friendship, or perseverance? I don't have an answer; all I remember is that a song we always sang before entering the classroom made part of my routine for many years: clean shoes and socks, hair and teeth brushed, and always carrying a hanky. It's a reflection that makes me wonder about the profound role of early education in shaping our habits, and it might make you wonder about yours, too.

I don't deny the importance of an education in values starting at home, with parents passing on those values with their example and behaviour. The continuity of that education of values at primary school is not just important; it's crucial for the development of our children. In the present society where respect for nature and the common good, taking care of the environment, respect for public or private property are affairs of our daily life, education in values is a daily learning process so our children can learn how to function assertively, which reminds me of one of the first things I was told when I was training to be a teacher: "citizens are not born, but made, in a social environment in which values in primary school are learned as educational games". This brings me to the next stage of our training, especially if our aim was primary school, which is the importance of acquiring training that adapts to the needs of today's world.

Recognising the value of diverse perspectives, I sought the views of Mark Gilronan, Headteacher of Ottery St Mary Primary School, to enrich this article.

Here is Mark's opinion: "I think you're absolutely right to keep using the word 'values' Josefina. In my own personal opinion, the most crucial role we play in primary schools is to develop and instil values in our children. We are privileged to spend so much time with the children and to watch them grow and develop emotionally, morally and academically. In my view, the emotional and moral values directly impact the success or otherwise of their academic development. Children should grow without having any fear of failure. It is in making mistakes that we all learn, and that stays with us throughout life. In my view, if we can help to develop some sense of routine, purpose and ambition for children while nurturing their self-belief and confidence as we challenge them to be the best versions of themselves that they can be, then we will have gone a long way in preparing them for all they will face in life. We know as adults that we don't all fit into neat little boxes, so it is vital that we support children across all areas of their development in order to find and celebrate their strengths and passion. Their individuality."