Eighty Happy Years! Congratulations to the Junior School
This year we are delighted to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the opening of our Junior School.
Prior to 1944, Junior pupils were housed in the main school along with Seniors, and the move to a designated Junior school building became a gradual process.
Initially, during the 1930s, two wooden buildings were erected on the existing site which was allocated for the then Junior A and Junior B classes. Today, this location is where the dance studio stands. It was not until 1944 that a completely separate building was built on a site adjacent to the main school.
Much excitement and anticipation were in the air on the morning of 8th June 1944 as pupils were told to pick up their books and head over to their brand-new Junior School.
The school was opened in a converted house named “Listad” on Davenport Park Road and was formed from two houses that were knocked into one, with the top floor being allocated to Music lessons.
60 pupils attended the Junior School at that time and were housed in the new building.
Over time, with the buoyancy of pupil numbers and the introduction of a Preparatory Department, Listad was replaced with a new larger, purpose-built building in 1975 which was further expanded across the 1980s and 1990s.
Eventually in 1997, the Junior School was adapted once again to eventually provide the welcoming, modern building we see today.
As part of our 80th anniversary celebrations, we asked our SGS Community to share their memories from Junior school days and we were grateful to receive such fabulous stories….
“The school yard was memorable for its ability to shred shoes when playing football, and we had access to the Cabbage Patch for football during games lessons” (Stephen Norris OS 1972)
“I attended during the great rivalry for the world land speed record between Malcolm Campbell and George Eyston and we had great fun competing across the playground in our own imaginary racing cars.” (Christopher Wilcock OS 1948)
“I travelled to school by bus from Poynton and the fare was 4d (1.5p). School was great fun, we didn’t think oh no I’m going to school, you thought oh great I’m going to school!” (Jeremy Farnworth OS 1953)
“I remember the fire alarm once sounding and us having to evacuate from the new escape on the outside of the building. The MEN newspaper sent a reporter the next day who requested a re-enactment and so we had to do the drill again with the photograph appearing in the local newspaper” (Jeremy Farnworth OS 1953)
Nice To Know – whilst historically pupils attended the school from age 6-14 years, in 1948 under the newly appointed Headmaster, Mr William Gurney, this was changed with the minimum age for admission becoming 7, and for leaving 16 years. By contrast, present day pupils can attend from aged 3 through to 18 years.
