History
In summer 1972 a small English school was set up in the centre of
Lagos by two young English graduates, Bruce and Jackie Martins. This
was a real boon for the young English families who were living in
the area. Unfortunately in summer 1975 Bruce and Jackie decided to
return to England. Parents contacted Sheena Donaldson, a qualified
Scottish primary school teacher, and Jacquie Fairbairn, a Montessori
trained teacher who had been teaching in the Martin’s school. The
parents arranged to purchase the equipment of the Martins’ school
and searched for suitable premises.
Barlavento English School was founded in September 1975 in a rented
villa called Quintal dos Figos in Praia da Luz. With only eighteen
pupils aged from four to seven, a high standard of education was
possible, in a happy school which was like a large family. In 1979
another villa called Casa Josef near the Penina Hotel was found
because Quintal dos Figos was for sale. After two years there,
sufficient funds were raised to build our own school.
This was
achieved partly by holding bazaars, dances, dinners etc. but also
because of very generous donations from benefactors, particularly
Colonel and Mrs. Angus Vickers who had become great friends of the
school.
The land chosen had a twenty by ten metre building which was being
used as a pig farm. Small divisions which had been full of little
fat piglets were reconstructed to make two classrooms, a dining room,
a library, cloakrooms and toilets. The new premises should have been
functioning in September 1981 but building in Portugal tends to be
problematic and suddenly with a rising role there was no school
building. A parent came to the rescue and we occupied a bar in the
Henry Navigator square ( now the pharmacy) for a term during which
our numbers grew to thirty-nine and another teacher joined us.
Margaret Bowers, a Canadian graduate who had stood in for Sheena to
have a three day honeymoon in January 1979 and again when Jacquie
had maternity leave in summer term 1980 now became our Reception
class teacher. Fortunately we were able to move into our new
building in January 1982.
Soon after this Caroline Verle become our
French teacher. In 1988 a new wing with two classrooms and
cloakrooms was added. In 1991 Margaret Bowers retired and Caroline
Verle took over Reception Class. Judy Robinson also joined our staff
as Junior 2 class teacher. In 1992 Mrs. Vickers inaugurated our
wonderful hall which she financed for us as a lasting memorial to
her husband Colonel Angus Vickers. Our teachers are already teaching
the second generation as the young sons of one of the original
pupils, Claire Sadler (now Borges) are now in our school. Although
numbers have grown to sixty-eight we still try to keep the family
feeling.
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