When Alice, during her adventures in Wonderland, drank from a small bottle labelled DRINK ME she began to grow bigger and 'She went on growing and growing …….she put one arm out of the window and one foot up the chimney". During the past year the Infants Department has behaved somewhat like Alice so that classes have now increased to fourteen. The Infants fill all the rooms in two blocks and are occupying two of the classrooms in the new block. How pleased we all were to see this new block completed for it meant that we were able to reclaim our hall (which had been converted into classrooms) after being without it for over a year. Already the children have helped to decorate it with pictures and flowers. As well as providing us with improved facilities for music and movement this small hall provides a "focal point" for the Infants; a little meeting place which we can make bright and attractive in appearance and regard as "a place of our very own".
In a school such as this where the population is constantly changing we seem always to be saying "farewell" to children and to members of the staff whose tours are completed. During the year we were so sorry to lose Mrs. Beech, Miss Burke, Mrs. Davies, Miss Farr and Mrs. Wicks. However, we have enjoyed hearing from them all and are pleased to report that they have all settled down happily again in U.K. We send them our best wishes and our thanks for all the hard work they put in at Verdala. We had several changes on the staff during the year and so we are especially grateful to Mrs. Gee, Miss Holmwood, Miss Lee, Mrs. Keane, Mrs. Roberts, Miss Stideford and Miss Townsend who have continued to teach at Verdala throughout the year for they have helped to maintain the stability which is essential for the smooth running of an Infants' School; also they welcomed and gave assistance, where required, to new colleagues who arrived at Verdala. Miss Bond, Miss Postings, Miss Whitelaw, Mrs Jordan, Mrs. Falcon, Miss Eastland and Miss Head have joined the staff during the year and we wish them all a happy stay in Malta. At various times during the year we have been grateful to see Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Cropper, Mrs. Elder, Miss Adams and Mrs. Ellis who have come in to assist us as "supply" teachers. At the beginning of this school year, after teaching for five years in the Verdala Infants Department, Miss Batty transferred (by friendly arrangement) to the Junior Department for her last year in Malta. Miss Batty was sincerely interested In the welfare of all the infants and whilst we miss her from our own department we hope that she is thoroughly enjoying her work among the older children. Throughout the year all the staff have worked together as a team to ensure the efficient running of the department and consequently the children have enjoyed a full and varied school life. Work and play have continued as vigorously as ever since little children abound with energy and enthusiasm. The usual high standard in the 3R subjects has been maintained and the children have produced a considerable amount of interesting art and craft work some of which was exhibited on open day and at the Children's Art Exhibition held in Valletta. The Infants took their usual place in the School Sports, running and swimming with the enthusiasm of Olympic champions! During the Spring Term several students from the Mater Admirabilis Training College at Rabat visited the school to observe the teachers and children at work. Later in the term Class 1 were taken by bus to the College where they assisted Miss Batty who gave, for the students, an excellent demonstration lesson in miming and dramatization. Among other things the children dramatized a Chinese folk tale "The Five Brothers" which, helped by the colourful properties made by the children themselves, was a truly charming and delightful performance. Christmas brought its usual round of festivities, parties and plays. This year the young children taking part in the pantomime were very patiently trained by Miss Burke who was assisted by Miss Bond and Miss Postings. The children dressed as space sailors, nurse and robots danced and sang. They gave an attractive performance and we were reminded that it was Miss Burke who had, also, trained the choir of young children who, earlier In the year, sang so sweetly at the Inter‑Services Schools' Music Festival. Miss Townsend was responsible for the design and production of costumes for the fifty Infants in the pantomime. We are extremely grateful to all those parents who so kindly assisted her and to Miss Townsend for the hours of work which she gave out of school time, mostly at weekends, to this project. It was a happy Christmas and we tried to ensure that the children, as far as they were able, understood the true significance of this festival and enjoyed it to the full. 'The years at the Verdala seem to follow one upon another with alarming speed and we are now hastening through 1960. 1 hope for all the children at Verdala and for all those who will eventually read this report that 1960 will prove a really happy, successful year.V. NORTH.