Hadleigh Junior School’s 110th Birthday
Challenge, Determination, Resilience and Independence
By Mr Glenn Moore
On Saturday 10th October 2020 our school turned 110 years old.
We had planned a community extravaganza, which was to include street performers, afternoon tea, birthday cake and a visit from the mayor, all free and open to members of our community. We even planned to invite old pupils to view our school. However, due to the Covid19 pandemic this was not to be.
Instead we held a special theme week in school during the week of 5th October. Our children learnt about the changes in our community from 1910-2020, with each class focusing on a particular decade.
With the help of our site team, we managed to unearth some of our archives and put these on display in our Hall. The children loved seeing the old workbooks and photographs- we could even see some of our current staff in the old class photos (but I won’t tell you what decade they were from). At the end of the week we held a birthday party in each class, which was great fun for all concerned.
Despite the Covid19 restrictions we managed to have a whole school photo taken to mark this special birthday, with individual photos taken of each pupil and member of staff, which was then pieced together on computer to form a whole group photo.
Our school values are Challenge, Determination, Resilience and Independence and never have we had to call on these more than during this difficult time. However, the fact that we all made the best of a difficult situation and found a way to celebrate the school’s birthday, giving our children a great experience along the way, is a testament to the positive mind-set of everyone at our school.
Looking at our ageing, yet changing, building we can reflect on its resilience and adaptability over the decades and realise that this is something we all need to do in life, especially during an international crisis; we must use our determination and build resilience in the face of challenges.
I am very proud to have been part of this school’s history during such turbulent times and look forward to the lessons we will learn from this experience as we continue to develop and improve.
Mr Glenn Moore
Headteacher, Hadleigh Junior School
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I have been reading the archive comments on Hadleigh School which I attended from 1933 to 1937. I am now 95 but have some clear memories of those days which I think you might be interested in.
I was admitted to what was then called Hadleigh Council School having been at Miss Howship’s Kindergarten in Arcadian Gardens from the age of 6. I moved up through the classes called Standards. Sports became my main interest and ability and I became a very good sprinter; winning many medals on the sports days held on the cricket ground. I was nicknamed ‘Crusty’!
At play time we had games in the playground flicking cigarette cards and spinning tops with whips. Playing with conkers {in season} was also very popular. I remember one of the teachers; a Miss Silcocks. She was very good. We started every morning standing in the classroom to say the Lord’s Prayer and another prayer.
I enjoyed being in the school choir and remember learning the words of the song “Little lamb who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee?”
The headmaster was Mr Tutt JP. A very strict disciplinarian who used the cane. We were very scared of him! Being late for school was punished!
I hope these thoughts will be of interest.
With best wishes.
David Carruthers (Crusty!)
I was a pupil from 1978 to 1981 and remember dressing up for the 70th anniversary. The only teachers I remember were Miss Hewitt and the head, Mr Evans. My Nan was a dinner lady there in the 70s. It would have been lovely to see the old photos!
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