I can remember my first day. My mum dropped me off outside the main entrance; I walked into the foyer to be greeted by an older pupil telling me that I can’t come in this way and to go round to the side entrance, immediately I was lost.

Not knowing the way to the hall, or even knowing where another entrance was, really messed up my mornings' plans. Luckily, befriended by three older girls they took me to the hall - via the main entrance.

My first teacher was Mr. Shelton, we were 1S, and our classroom was in the “old” block, ground floor, north - west corner. Next to chemistry labs.

our form room, although this picture was taken in 2001, very different from when 1S used this room.

Sammy (Mr. Shelton’s nickname) was a real old school type, tweed suits, black cape and a loud voice. He had an experienced accuracy with board rubbers and could land one with high velocity on any pupil’s desks, when not paying full attention, very startling, if you happened to be looking out the window at the time. But it seemed to us his life was maths, maybe it was, I’ll never know.

 

2P form room (2001)

Year 2 we became 2P, Mrs. Price was now our form teacher, and we lived in the block running parallel to Laundry Lane, at the south – west corner, on the ground floor. I can’t remember much of Mrs. Price; I think she was also my English teacher. But part way through the year she left. Our replacement was a man, Mr. Bray, I think but we stayed 2P. I still did not appreciate the chance; passing the 11+ had given me.

 

Year 3, major changes as the classes were shuffled. Terry had been in my form before but I now sat next to him and an R.E. teacher was now our form mistress, Graham and Richard join our class. We were 3L, Mrs. Lincoln who is still at the school. She seemed very strict but was never scary. The class had been allocated a mobile classroom, second from the left of the four in the north – west corner of the school site (see school site map on home page).

 

3L, 4G and 5G The area where our mobile stood

Mobiles were great because they could be used at lunchtimes whereas the main blocks were patrolled by over zealous prefects whom wouldn’t allow access to your form room.

Were you a prefect between 1970-73? 

 

 

Year 4 and Dr. Gamble had the misfortune to adopt our class and we stayed in the mobile, right result. He also had his way of doing stuff and made sure you followed it. But unknown to him we rather liked his sense of humour, and he tended to ignore the ban on transistor radios.

I quickly realised year 4 mathematics was going to be a disaster for me; my group had a new style maths teacher, I think his name was Mr. Gamble (not our form tutor). We just sat in circles discussing work; I totally lost interest. Our group could have discussed maths for England (though still not beat the Germans). Guinea pigs or what?

Year 5, we still had the Doc. and the mobile but also had some very annoying year 1 kids, two mobiles north. My wife to be was in that class, spooky.

5th year maths room (2001)

Fortunately I got a new maths teacher who saved my future career and I scraped an O level, grade C. Most of my mates stayed on to sixth form, I left thinking that 5 O levels and a CSE (commerce) was failing. I think Mr. Ruddock taught commerce, he’s also still at the school.