Stockholm Park Basic School and Nursery is one of the biggest early childhood institutions in the Highgate area of St Mary. It has on its roll 84 children, including those in the nursery. The school was founded by Patricia Ennis who is the principal and who runs the institution with three teachers and two nursery attendants and a cook. The teachers are all certified, with two having HEART-NTA certification and one holding a teaching diploma. The students attend from as far away as Islington and Esher as well as from nearby Highgate communities. Mrs Ennis has experience in education and child care, having worked at Swift Purcell Boys Home and as a field officer for JAMAL, responsible for eight classes. This, after she graduated from St Mary High School, Highgate. It’s after eight years at Carron Hall Infant School that she decided to start her own school with her sister. She got encouragement from then principal of Carron Hall.
She said that in deciding to start the school, she met with community members of Stockholm housing scheme and other communities and told them what she wanted to do. Mrs Ennis then secured the location at the community centre from where the school has been operating since its start in 2000. At the time it was dilapidated and under-maintained but with help she was able to make it classroom-fit Mrs Ennis said there were financial difficulties because even though the school fee is low, many parents have challenges paying in full and paying on time. “I do everything to keep them here. When they come we can’t turn them back” even if the payments are not available, she said.
The school follows the Early Childhood Commission’s Curriculum and gets some assistance from the Ministry of Education. Because the building is shared by the community, including youths taking part in sports and because it is next to the playfield, there are issues with maintenance. She pointed out that because the roof is regularly hit by balls the zinc is often loosened. Although the classrooms are secured and locked, the common area between the classrooms on one side and administrative area and nursery on the other is sometimes not maintained. Mrs Ennis is happy for the support of the parents at monthly PTA and also for the staff who she said carry their responsibilities well. The teachers are: Joycelyn Walker, Najla Walker and Nadine Dunn. Cook is Stepheneta Stanton.
