Mr. Carefoot.- Science and Physics

 

Mr. Carefoot, was mainly a Science teacher at Tulketh. His specialist subject however was Physics. He always wore the obligatory white coat that the older science teachers wore, I would have said he was in his late forties, small in stature with glasses, grey hair, and had a slight limp as I recall. 

I first came across him in my first term at Tulketh in 1975. At the time I was in 1N, which was one of two top forms based on our opening day tests we all did. To be in  one of the top forms carried some weight in the school. The structure was quite simple back then in most secondary schools top forms were entered for the elite, O level exams , middle forms generally did the C.S.E exams and usually with few exceptions the bottom forms were usually to leave school with no exam qualifications. 

Our class had about 30 kids in and had slightly more girls than boys as I recall. The standard of work I thought was probably above my ability at the time, but I gave it my best shot.

Science was certainly different at Secondary school to what we had at Primary School. One thing I noticed straightaway was a full Science lab, full of long desks with Bunsen burners and a whole host of different apparatus around a large classroom which was situated on the first floor of a large block facing the school drive and yard

One morning we had a test in a 1-hour lesson we had to answer ten questions on electricity, energy, and sound. We all had our heads down writing away well some more than others as I gazed out of the large windows into the yard looking for inspiration. Every so often Mr. Carefoot would shuffle past myself, David Arkinstall, Paul Sapsford, and Paul Walsh.

Suddenly he told us to stop what we are doing and hand in the papers to him and he will mark them and let us know in the next lesson how we did. I completed the test but found it hard to be honest. Most of the class had finished their test before me and had one eye on ten-minute morning break.

“How did you think you got on? Paul Sapsford asked me while we were both making short work of eating our tasty chocolate bars called, Bandit, which Mrs.Sapsford had put in his packed lunch. “Not so sure I said, I found some of questions difficult” I found it easy was Paul’s reply which did not surprise me considering Paul’s excellent academic qualities. A week later we were back in Science in room 27 sat there waiting for our results from the test.

Mr. Carefoot, announced the results in ascending order. I came 29th out of 30 with a result of 36%, only Jimmy Sharp came below with 34%. Top of the class was Michael Iddon with 97% with Mark Phillips, Louise Thexton, Paul Sapsford and Jill Brown both tied on 96% close behind. Only Jimmy and I were under 50%.

In the early part of 1976, I along with Jimmy Sharp were dropped down to, 1O, which was the middle group of the six forms due to our performance in the Christmas end of term exams. One of the last lessons I had in the 1N form was Science I told Mr. Carefoot of my impending departure. Always remember him saying, “You tried your best, but the two top forms are the Premier League in ability in comparison with the rest of the forms” I think that was the first time that I’d heard the term Premier League which now is so widely used in sporting terms.

I was never taught by Mr. Carefoot again after the first year. Our paths sometimes crossed on the Chess competitions the school used to run. Mr. Carefoot, I believe left Tulketh in the early 1980’s.

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