Chapter 2 (Chapter 3 ready by 29th October!)

CHAPTER 2

MY SCHOOL LIFE

IN 1972, AT THE AGE OF FIVE, I ATTENDED A BOARDING SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN FOR WHAT THEY USED CALL “SPASTICS”. MY SOCIAL WORKERS MADE THAT DECISION AND ARRANGED FOR ME TO GO TO ST. MARGARET'S IN CROYDEN.

MRS BROWN WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK ME FROM QUEEN MARY'S TO THE NEW SCHOOL, WHERE I WOULD STAY UNTIL I WAS SEVENTEEN.

I STARTED IN MRS PALMER'S CLASS WITH ABOUT TEN OTHER BOYS AND GIRLS. ONE OF THE GIRLS WAS AMANDA, A FRIEND FROM NURSERY WHO BECAME VERY CLOSE. SHE HAD CEREBRAL PALSY TOO AND WAS THE SAME AGE AS ME. WE HAD LOTS OF FUN TOGETHER, AND LAUGHED A LOT! THE ONLY THING THAT MADE ME JEALOUS WAS THE FACT SHE WENT HOME EVERY NIGHT TO HER PARENTS. I NOW KNOW THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT SHE WENT HOME FOR HER NURSING CARE.

WE DIDN'T STAY AT SCHOOL ALL YEAR ROUND. AT HOLIDAY TIME THE CHILDREN WOULD GO HOME EXCEPT ME, BECAUSE MY MUM WAS WORKING TO PROVIDE FOR HER FAMILY. I WENT BACK TO QUEEN MARY'S. MY SITUATION WAS DIFFERENT TO OTHER CHILDREN. I WOULD SEE MY FAMILY, INCLUDING MY NAN, ON SOME WEEKENDS AT SCHOOL AND THEY WOULD WRITE TO ME THERE. I DIDN'T SEE THEM DURING THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS, WHICH UPSET ME. I REMEMBER ASKING MRS BIRD, WHO DROVE ME TO AND FROM QUEEN MARY'S “AM I GOING HOME?” HER ONLY ANSWER WAS, “I'M AFRAID NOT.” MY ONLY CONSOLATION WAS THAT DURING MY TIME AT QUEEN MARY'S I BUILT SOME GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH STAFF. MRS BROWN, WHO I HAVE MENTIONED, WAS MY PHYSIO. SHE VISITED ME AT SCHOOL SOME WEEKENDS AND THEN I REMEMBER I WENT HOME WITH HER QUITE A FEW TIMES. APPARENTLY, SHE WANTED TO ADOPT ME, BUT MY MUM REFUSED.

I FOUND SCHOOL HARD BECAUSE I REALLY COULDN'T CONCENTRATE ON LEARNING WHEN ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS “WHEN AM I GOING HOME?”. MY FAMILY WERE ALWAYS ON MY MIND. I WANTED TO BE WITH THEM AND HAVE MY OWN TOYS AND CLOTHES TOO. I MISSED MY BROTHERS AND SISTER.

AT THE AGE OF ABOUT SEVEN, QUEEN MARY'S STOPPED HAVING PEOPLE DURING HOLIDAYS. THIS WAS A WORRY FOR MY SOCIAL WORKER AND HEADMASTER BECAUSE THEY KNEW MUM WOULDN'T BE ABLE HAVE ME AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ME IN A RESIDENTAL HOME. THEY WERE MEETING TO DECIDE WHERE I SHOULD GO DURING HOLIDAYS.

LUCKILY, MY TEACHER WHO HAD LEFT SCHOOL, MRS PALMER, STEPPED IN JUST AT THE RIGHT TIME. WITHOUT KNOWING ABOUT THE MEETING TO DISCUSS MY FATE, SHE WROTE A LETTER TO ASK IF SHE COULD TAKE ME HOME IN THE HOLIDAYS. HOORAY! I NOW HAD A FOSTER AUNTIE, MY OWN ROOM, TOYS AND CLOTHES. I WAS REALLY HAPPY AND ENJOYED MY TIME WITH HER.

THE FIRST HOLIDAY I HAD WITH HER WAS AT EASTER AND WE WERE PLANNING A BIRTHDAY PARTY, WHEN I HAD A EXTRA SUPRISE – MY DAD! HE CAME TO VISIT ME AT MRS PALMERS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I REMEMBER MEETING HIM AND I WAS, NATURALLY, VERY NERVOUS. I NEEDN'T HAVE BEEN. DAD HAS BEEN MORE INVOLVED IN MY LIFE SINCE THEN, VISITING ME EVERY HOLIDAY AND ATTENDING SCHOOL REVIEWS AND OUR SUMMER FETE. I HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM NOW.

FIVE YEARS OLD!