The LECT trip to Jamaica
Class of 2006: (left to right) Maureen Perry, Ceri Evans, Hilary Cook, Maurice (facilitator), Gerry Curran and Tracy Stone
Monday morning of half term saw our national winners from 2006 on an early flight to Jamaica, the beginning of an eight-day study trip organised by the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers (LECT).
The LECT prize, which has taken winners to South Africa and India in previous years, is an exhilarating mixture of school visits, sightseeing, cultural experiences and personal encounters.
Maureen Perry, former headteacher of St Mary and St Benedict's primary school, and winner of the DCSF Award for Healthy School of the Year in 2006, sent a regular blog to friends and family – whenever she could get a connection and power cuts allowed.
Maureen enthused about the thirst for education in a country where primary schools are operating shift systems to accommodate huge pupil numbers – as many as 2,500 in one school they visited.
She praised the optimism of education officers, the behaviour of pupils, the kindness of hosts Jill and Maurice, and the brilliance of Howard, the group's driver, in negotiating all sorts of obstacles on the roads.
The physical highlight of the trip was a 600ft vertical climb up Dunn's Falls. 'The guide was fantastic as he hopped up and down the line making sure we all found the right footholds.' To reach the summit was an exhilarating achievement – one of many that the Class of 2006 won't forget.
