Tracey Greenwood, Assistant Kindergarten Manager 31 years at Dulwich
Do you have a fond or funny memory? Back before risk assessments were a thing, we often took the children on big adventures around the college campus. One memorable day, we took a group down to the lower field to watch a helicopter land. As it slowly descended, the wind blew the children backwards like skittles, quite the sight and not quite the plan! We also used to take all the children swimming and trampolining at the sports centre. I’m happy to report that every child returned safely, no doubt having gained some amazing resilience and life skills along the way. These days, of course, our adventures come with much more paperwork and planning, you could say risk assessments have become their own kind of adventure!
What do you love about DC and what’s made you happy to stay so long? I love the incredible sense of community here at DC and the opportunities it has provided me throughout my nearly 32 years working at DUCKS. Honestly, my original plan was to not stay this long but here I am! I’ve been fortunate to experience many roles within the school, working with children of all ages to now supporting the DUCKS leadership teams. It brings me great joy to bump into past children and families, hearing how life has unfolded for these once little ones after their time at DUCKS. What’s changed the most? Where do I even begin, when I first joined the Kindergarten in 1993, we operated as a pack-away setting in what was then called Eller Bank. We shared the building with the Dulwich Bowls Club, and the premises were also hired out as function rooms, often carrying a faint smell of beer. Our resources were mostly donated, and we made do with whatever we had. Since those humble beginnings, DUCKS has come such a long way, growing into the amazing school it is today. It’s been an incredible journey to witness. What’s not really changed at all? Our core values have remained constant. I have always felt incredibly lucky to work alongside people who share the same passion for nurturing our youngest DC children. From the very beginning, strong relationships with parents, carers, and children have been at the heart of what we do. Watching these children grow and develop to successfully navigate school life continues to be deeply rewarding.
We have been named as a Finalist in the categories Enveloping EDI in the Curriculum and Opportunities in Art and Music (throughout the school) by the magazine Education Choices
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