Originally Posted by Gayle (Post 628021)

I'll try to explain it better.

Example - Junior Classes - there are 5 Junior Classes but children only do 4 Junior years. There are up to 40 children in any year group but a maximum of 30 in any class.

So when they move up from infants to juniors they could go into Junior1 or Junior 2. The 10 oldest or brightest go into Junior 2 leaving 30 in Junior 1. Each child will do four years in Juniors so for example Maddie, who's birthday is in October is one of the oldest, headed into Junior 2 so she'll do classes 2, 3, 4, and 5. She's now in 3.

Her friend is actually in the year group ahead of her but her birthday is in August so she's one of the youngest in her year group. She is now in the same class because she did Junior 1, 2 and is now in 3 with Maddie.

I probably still haven't explained it very well but what it means is that children are working with children of similar abilities. If you think about it, a year is a long time in the development of a child and someone born on September 1st can have a whole year of development ahead of someone born on the following August 31st. Because of the system at St Mary's the maximum age gap between the oldest and youngest in a class is around 8 months and not a full year and it can cross over a year group.

No, probably still haven't explained it well but it works, thinking back I remember it - just wondered if anyone else did as it is unusual.

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 628420)

I remember the large railway marshalling yard and engine shed full of steam engines down Charter Street. I lived near the place and I spent many a happy hour sneaking round the sidings. I was probably lucky to escape a good ticking off from the cops or, even worse, being killed.

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp (Post 627946)

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 628450)

yep think there was hut type building belonging to "Lang Bridges" at the top end of the charter st wall we all used to run down.:D:confused:

Originally Posted by cashman (Post 628464)

i love em as well west ender, who besides cashy used to get a platform ticket at accy station n go to preston trainspotting, was great if ya never left preston station, did it dozens of times, a great day out fer a lad.:D

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 628469)

Yep, did the same myself. Only problem was sometimes you had to dodge the railway cops on the prowl at Preston station by nipping into the Gents!

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris (Post 628420)

I remember the large railway marshalling yard and engine shed full of steam engines down Charter Street. I lived near the place and I spent many a happy hour sneaking round the sidings. I was probably lucky to escape a good ticking off from the cops or, even worse, being killed.

Originally Posted by Neil (Post 626486)

Ossy is fine mate and just about far enough from Darwen :D

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE (Post 628483)

Think you may have met Ianto much earlier than you think.:) He lived just down the road from you;)

Originally Posted by West Ender (Post 628457)

I loved steam engines (still do) but perhaps it's "in the blood". My maternal grandfather was Station Master at Church and Oswaldtwistle from 1912 to 1928 (and before that, at Rochdale. My mum was born in the station house there in 1909) and, in his family, I had an uncle and a cousin who were railway engineers and another uncle who was a guard. :)

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp (Post 630256)