Bere Alston Primary School celebrates a remarkable 350 year history
For more than a year, staff and children at Bere Alston Primary School have been building up to their grand celebration of the schools 350th birthday, which was held on Thursday 11th June.
Each of the school’s year groups has spent the past school year studying a specific 50 year period within the schools 350 year history, looking at subjects such as fashion, kings and queens, illnesses, medicines, living conditions etc. Where possible all curriculum lessons have been geared towards that 50 year period.
The celebrations also included the gathering of as much historical information and memorabilia about the school as possible for an exhibition that was held in the school hall. The children have been involved in many different activities to mark the occasion, including producing a school tea towel with help from the Friends of Bere Alston Primary. A surprise to all staff and pupils was a commemorative coin, designed and smelted by Maria Whettem, and given to the children, funded by the Maynard Trust. The teachers and pupils have also sung a new school anthem with words written by Barbara Birchell and the music by Lesley Wright.
June 11th saw the culmination of all their efforts as the children dressed in clothing from their particular era, to spend the afternoon celebrating with friends, family and members of the community at a traditional summer fair. Amongst the revelers were a number of past pupils, staff and teachers, with one particularly special pupil, Mr Stanley Williams aged 99, who attended Bere Alston Primary in 1921.
See our history pages (56 & 57) to read a potted history of Sir John Maynard and Bere Alston Primary School.