MILLIONS of children return to school this week, and for many of the village schools across Eden it will mean the heart of community life will be beating stronger.

Residents in one Eden village will welcome the return of the pupils to the school they believe is built around the community it serves.

Lowther Endowed School's Mission Statement is simple: "We will provide a high quality learning experience, challenging all individuals in a supportive environment. We will value all members of our community, developing self worth and a sense of responsibility. Learning is fun."

The school serves the needs of and contributes to life of the community in many ways. From harvest festival services, Christmas plays and class assemblies, the parents and families of the pUPILS are welcomed into the school and church. After School Clubs for tag rugby, football, netball, computers, French and Jesus club support an active community environment. A visit to the school by Albie Olivierre who worked with the children in Caribbean and street dancing also involved an adult session bringing the community in and involving them in the school's activities.

A parent of one of Lowther Endowed School's pupils, Catherine Cannon, said: "The school website was set up to communicate with parents and the wider community and is used to publish children's work. With the newly-built extension and new computer terminals, Lowther Endowed worked with Ullswater Community College to offer Internet for Beginners and encourage adult learning. We were Broadband "live" from autumn 2003.

"The School takes pride in its physical activities too and was delighted to be among a handful of Cumbrian schools to be awarded the honour of "Activemark" for promoting the benefits of physical activity and sport. Activemark is a National scheme.

"Balancing the needs of rural pupils while providing a modern curriculum is a great strength of Lowther Endowed. The school is located in a beautiful area that has a wealth of history.

"Lowther Endowed School dates back to 1640, with the current site opening as a boys only school in 1887. Today it thrives as well as it has ever done with 102 children enrolled. Maintaining a thriving and sustainable school is a high priority and one that those charged with the responsibility of running the school and its service, take very seriously. Taking the school forward has been partly achieved with funding from the DfES and from the Lowther School Endowment. This has enabled the school to build an extension to house new computers, an extended library, quiet room, cookery area and toilets with disabled facilities.

"The website and broadband access allow the school to maintain links with the outside world and the provision of after-school activities allow the school to offer extended learning opportunities for those who wish to be involved. The school will offer Adult Education courses again in 2004 and is now running adult education courses to familiarise parents with National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies.

"There are many ways that the school raises funds, and the majority of this is done through the Friends of Lowther School."

The school has links with outside organisations including Heversham School, their e-mail buddies, and collaborative projects with Morland and Yanwath schools. The school is also actively involved in raising money to help others, including fund-raising for Cumbria Community Recovery Fund, Red Nose Day, Operation Christmas Child, Shelter, NCH, and the Children's Society."

Let us know how your local school is a vital part of community life and let us feature the projects, schemes and events that make the village school the heart of the village.