Open Writing

Calderdale Council gave me a council house out on the Keighley Road. It provided me with temporary accommodation whilst I set out to explore the private housing market. A grammar school selection policy was still very much in vogue in Calderdale. I did not want my daughter, fast approaching 11 years of age, to be subjected to such a lottery relating to her educational future. I re-focussed on the neighbouring authority Kirklees, where a non-selective comprehensive system had been in place for many years.

After many weeks of gathering housing details from estate agents and the thankless job of visiting possible locations I was able to draw up a shortlist of suitable houses. We finally got this down to a choice between two houses. Our ultimate decision has remained our home for over thirty years. Even after all this time I remain confident that it was the right choice. Situated in a quiet cul-de-sac it was on the right side of Huddersfield for getting to work and remained so for over twenty years. Both primary and secondary schools were accessible on foot; good bus service to a not too distant town centre. I still do not have any great desire to move particularly since there is ideal access to the M62 Motorway. The house had a jungle for a garden when we moved in. Having been a repossessed property the previous owner had left a trail of debt in addition to money owed to his building society. The society had changed the door locks to halt his unauthorised visits. Most of the remaining contents were taken away by the estate agent but a few continue to be used by us to this day.

Our families came up from Nottingham to lend a hand in getting the property shipshape. An early discovery as we hacked away in the undergrowth of the back garden was a live bees' nest. Dealing with this provided a bit of excitement. It was successfully removed without disaster.

Jane was successfully installed into the final year at Outlane Junior School. What a traumatic experience she had had; one year only in a primary school in Leicester; three years in Malawi; a few months in a Nottingham school and now another single year in a strange school where her classmates were again, total strangers. No wonder she had turned out to be such a resilient woman. A lesser soul would have crumpled under the strain. The Malawian school experience was a major factor in our decision to terminate my contract. Crap headmaster; many crap teachers with their inherent racism which accompanied some of those from Zimbabwe and South Africa. Paul also experienced a change of school. After one term in the first year of his Nottingham primary school; just beginning to forge relationships he had been planted in Outland Primary School. The emotional price however, was less than that paid by Jane.

My initial teaching experience was very much a 'holding operation' coming at the end of the academic year. September 1974 saw me in a more positive role as I engaged with student groups at the beginning of their courses. As law had been unavailable to students the previous academic year many of them embarking on their second year chose it as one of their options. This was of enormous benefit to me, as any first year teacher will tell you, as it reduces the somewhat heavy pressure owing to being able to teach parallel lessons. Between 1974-1978 I enjoyed my teaching, particularly the law component which accounted for half my timetable. Nick Thomas had a legal background and together with his liberal outlook it made for a good rapport.