"WE PLANT THE SEEDS AND WATCH THEM GROW"

There have been several schools in Ruskington as is evidenced by the leather bound log books in the Head’s office dating back to the mid 1800s. Two of the old schools are still recognisable in Ruskington’s High Street – one is now a youth club and the other is the parish office.

Chestnut Street school, however, only has a history dating back to the middle 1960s. An Infant school was originally built at this time, followed a short time later, with a Junior school on the same site and linked by no more than a shared school kitchen.

Now, forty years later,the two schools have amalgamated to become the school we know today, where 364 children and staff come each day to learn in an ethos of "care, pride and responsibility".

Ongoing building developments have ensured that the school has always been quick to respond to current needs whether they are accommodation needs or educational requirements, and we are now very proud of our school building and the environment in which it is situated.

Chestnut Street has reception and pre-reception children in our foundation stage department, years one and two in Key Stage One and years three to six in Key Stage Two. Foundation Stage and Key Stage One make up our "Lower School" and Key Stage Two is our "Upper School".

As well as our classrooms, we have a large hall which is used for collective worship, other whole school gatherings, lunchtimes and PE lessons, and a smaller hall known as our Expressive Arts Studio or "Green Room" which is used for music, dance, drama, story telling and other creative projects.

We also have an ICT suite, interactive whiteboards in Upper School, a library, a well equipped medical room and the "Yellow Room" which is our Inclusion base.

We have extensive playing fields and grounds that include a quiet area, a "cairn" garden, a daffodil mound and two playgrounds. There is a climbing frame in the Lower School playground and a dedicated foundation stage outdoor classroom.

Our aim has always been to provide a high quality education within the expectations of a church school, and both our pupils' high achievements when they leave us at 11 years old and our strong links with All Saints Church in Ruskington are testament to the importance we attach to academic success and a Christian ethos. In this way we can foster a sense of caring and belonging to the one big family of Chestnut Street, where "every child matters".
The school has been awarded "Arts Mark" status - an accolade from the Arts Council of England - for its dedication to the arts and creativity and have an "Expressive Arts Co-ordinator" to develop these valuable areas of the curriculum.

We also have "Healthy School" status, and see ourselves as very enthusiastic ambassadors for a healthy life style. We now offer hot lunches, with delicious menus that meet all current nutritional guidelines and a healthy fruit tuck shop each day.

Sporting activities have a high profile at Chestnut Street and as well as teaching a wide range of PE and sporting skills, we run a number of after school clubs and take part in many local leagues and competitions with our sports teams.

The school has a School Council, with pupil representatives from every class, and an Arts Council which again is organised and run by the children. We have recently introduced a Sports Council as well as 2 Junior Road Safety Officers nominated by the children.

There are also three "Houses", named after the nearby "Battle of Britain Flight" based at RAF Coningsby - Lancaster, Spitfires and Hurricanes - and captains from year 6 lead their teams in a range of activities, and, of course, by announcing the weekly totals in our house points challenge!

All these opportunities give our children the chance to voice their opinions and contribute whole-heartedly to school life.

We are very proud of what we offer at Chestnut Street and with responsible enthusiastic and lively children, a dedicated staff and very supportive parents, a very active Governing Body, a thriving Parents Association, "The Friends of Chestnut Street School", close links with the Church and our local community of Ruskington, and a high profile in the area, we aim to meet the needs of all pupils, giving them a high quality education from 4 to 11.

See more by going into this website, or even better, come and visit us and find out for yourself!