A Reflection on Almost 30 Years of Teaching at Walker Road Primary School

Key Highlights :

1. Walker Road School is a happy school with lots of vibrant pupils.

2. The school year is an extremely busy one.

3. Term one is all about getting to know each other and the class expectations.

4. Term two has always been a favourite, as it takes in so many festivals.

5. Christmas, as you can imagine, is a hectic but fabulous time in the classroom.

6. At Walker Road the children in Primaries 1 and 2 would be the stars of the nativity.

7. Primaries 3 to 7 would have a Christmas open day when parents were invited to watch their children singing Christmas songs.

8. At the end of the afternoon, the children would leave their classrooms to sing White Christmas whilst leaning on the railings of the school well.

9. During the song, with the lights low, everyone would drop tiny pieces of white paper. It was a magical moment, but I’m sure Caroline, our fabulous cleaner, must have hated it!

10. Term three was the real working term and was a time for getting heads down.

     When I first stepped into Walker Road Primary School, Aberdeen, on a sunny August day in 1995, I had no idea how much of an impact this school and the students would have on me. As a newly graduated supply teacher, I was covering classes in various schools around the city, but Walker Road quickly became one of my two main schools.

     The first term was all about getting to know the students and setting expectations for the class. I was immediately struck by the vibrancy of the pupils and the general atmosphere of happiness in the school. It was clear that this was a place where children felt safe, respected and supported.

     The second term was always a favourite of mine, as it included so many festivals and celebrations. Christmas was a particularly hectic but wonderful time in the classroom. The children in the first and second classes would take part in a nativity, while the older children had a Christmas open day with performances and singing. The highlight was when everyone would sing White Christmas while leaning on the railings of the school well. As they sang, they would drop tiny pieces of white paper, creating a beautiful and magical moment.

     The third term was a time for hard work and getting heads down. Just before the spring holidays, we would have an Easter egg decorating contest, which was always great fun. The children would bring in their hardboiled eggs and let their creativity run wild.

     The last term was filled with excursions and celebrations. We took trips to Edinburgh Castle, Dalguise, Amsterdam and Germany, and also had lots of fun staying at school. One of my favourite memories was the huge party we had in the playground last summer to celebrate the school’s anniversary. There was music, laughter and even a visit from a former teacher, Mrs Gilchrist.

     Now, after almost 30 years of teaching at Walker Road Primary, I am looking to the future and our amazing new school. The building is state-of-the-art and the students are very excited about the move to Greyhope School. I am proud to have been a teacher at Walker Road and I know that I will continue to be proud when we move to our new home.

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