English village schools are a part of our history, many have been in existence for 100 years or more and with the cost of housing making it harder for families to afford houses in rural villages, the village school is often under threat of closure. Also gone are the days when a local bus swept through the lanes picking up handfuls of children to deliver to the village schools. Today most children have to rely on their parents driving them to school. Rural roads have few pathways for safe walking, nor the width to build paths. On top of this there is usually not enough parking spaces near to the school. So you find a colourful mix of parents and carers twice a day gathering in the school playground to drop off or collect the children. This wonderful canvas began the seedling idea for my book “Talk of the Playground” and it grew into an ever branching tale of potential disaster, heartbreak and humorous endings which I hope you will enjoy reading very much.
Rosie Amber 