Carlton Primary School

• THE threatened closure of this wonderful school must be opposed, (Carlton School: Parents warned another primary school could face closure, November 11 ).

Carlton primary’s long-standing importance in promoting social cohesion and teaching some of the most deprived children has been acclaimed, but we want to highlight the experience of one child who attended there from September 2018 to June 2019.

She entered Year 3 aged eight and is Russian. She had only been in England a week, having already attended three schools, in Hong Kong, Portugal and Russia.

She writes and reads Russian and English fluently and was avid to learn and take part in everything, delighted with science, maths, musical notation and the visits to the National Portrait Gallery, the Golden Hind and the theatre.

As her academic ability was not typical of a Year 3 pupil, we did wonder if she would be bored. But her excellent class teacher saw that she always had plenty to do and could work at her own pace, encouraging and praising her because, though clever, she was insecure.

This approach was new to her and Carlton, she said, was the best of all the schools she’d been to because “they are so kind – everyone is kind”. She was welcomed by staff and children alike.

Having been a nervous child, she became happy and relaxed. Unfortunately, due to family crises in Russia, she was pulled out of school several times; yet the school coped brilliantly with these disruptions.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED