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Real buzz of energy at excellent school
LAST Friday started at Tanbridge House School in Horsham. I'd been invited by UNICEF to find out more about Tanbridge's role as a Rights Respecting School.
The project encourages the school community to define a set of values – and then make it part of the fabric.
I learnt how students had developed sets of rights and responsibilities, for staff and students.
It was great to see the passion with which the students approached this. It's clear that it's made the whole school community think about the results of their behaviour, their attitude and the way they work with one another.
And the students put together a radio advertisement for the school and its values – impressive and moving.
It's not difficult to see why Tanbridge House is now over-subscribed - as soon as you step into reception you're aware of the atmosphere.
There's a real buzz of energy both within the classroom and as far as extra-curricular activities are concerned.
We're really lucky with our secondary schools.
Next I had a bit of a journey to Southlands Hospital, Shoreham. A Horsham resident had contacted me with various concerns, including cleanliness.
The team there explained how, since the beginning of this year, a whole new regime of hygiene and cleanliness had been put into operation: focusing on the details, cleaning into corners, handrails and ceiling tiles, and all the hard-to-reach hidden places both on wards and in communal areas.
I'm sure that if my constituent went back there, he'd see some serious improvements. I can't help contrast with East Surrey Hospital, where, for years, I've been told that things are improving when, in reality, little has changed and patients still have to put up with a lack of basic care and hygiene.
The afternoon was taken up with a number of home visits which I'm always happy to do.
Finally, I had a great evening at Christ's Hospital School, with students from Christ's Hospital and Tanbridge House. They'd got together for an evening of fundraising for Rwanda – with a play, a fashion show and wonderful music and, I'm told they raised around 7,000.
I think the focus on Rwanda came from talks I gave at both schools about that wonderful haunted country, and I know the money they raised will make a lot of difference to a lot of lives.
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Weather for Horsham
Wednesday 08 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east
