The coming together of a school community to celebrate the 80th birthday of the proprietor of Yarrells School, Mrs Natalie Covell.

There are very few schools that would have over one hundred past and present employees, many travelling from afar, join together to honour and celebrate an owner’s vision. In attendance were former Headteachers, all of whom admire and have great respect for Natalie, her legacy and a heart that has touched so many pupil, parent and teacher lives over the span of four decades.

Yarrells is a family-owned school steeped in tradition with strong values at its very core. Natalie joined the school, then St Monica’s, as Headmistress in 1989 and went on to purchase the school with her late husband, Tony Covell, in 1992. To this day, Natalie remains actively involved in the school: she plays a supportive role in the arts department helping with productions, she attends assemblies and listens to readers across the school regularly.

Yarrells is housed in a Georgian mansion and surrounding classroom buildings encircled by the gardens, fields, sports courts, swimming pool and woodland of its own estate in the town of Upton, near Poole, Dorset. In this beautiful environment, each child is encouraged to make the most of rich learning opportunities.

Natalie’s deep love for nature, for the birds that sing in the trees, for the beauty of the environment, and for the trees themselves, is something that has been woven into the fabric of the school. She has always believed that education extends beyond textbooks – that it’s in the air we breathe, the soil beneath our feet, and the beauty of the world that surrounds us. Her great love of the arts is embedded throughout the entire curriculum and every child is given the opportunity to shine and to feel significant.

To honour Natalie’s 80th birthday, a crab apple tree (a Malus floribunda) was planted. Pupils from Yarrells Nursery (called, of course, Greenwood), joined together to wrap around the little tree as it was tucked firmly into the garden. Head Gardener, Stuart Hill, will ensure it thrives. Everyone will watch it bloom and take a moment to be reminded of Natalie's love of nature.

Clare Cunningham said, “Having worked at Yarrells for many years, my absolute passion has always been to provide an outstanding educational environment for children: one that is warm, nurturing and provides space for a meaningful, rich and rigorous curriculum. All the doors of opportunity are open for our young people and the children at Yarrells are able to explore their identities and their talents fully so that they grow both their self-confidence and their skills to meet life’s challenges with relish. We welcome you to visit us to see first-hand the opportunities on offer here and are grateful to Natalie for the school that she has dedicated her life to.”