50 glorious years of the George Farmer School
Fifty years of memories will be celebrated by staff and pupils in Holbeach this month as what is now the George Farmer Technology and Language College reaches its half century milestone.
The George Farmer School first opened its doors just after Easter in 1958 with Jo Fathers as headteacher.
Anyone who has worked or studied there since is invited to share their experiences on Friday, April 25, and Saturday, April 26.
During the two days staff will exhibit memorabilia and visitors will be encouraged to contribute to a record of their memories and experiences of the last 50 years.
The weekend will be capped with a cheese and wine party on the Saturday night and the anniversary will also be marked with a float at this year's Spalding Flower Parade.
As well as celebrating the past the weekend will also see the beginning of next step in the future of the school when its vocational block is officially opened by Baroness Verma, the Conservative spokesman for innovation, universities and skills.
Staff insist that although the times may have changed since the era of beehive hairstyles and teddy boys many things have remained constant throughout the school's history.
In fact many long-serving teachers such as John Ashmole, Paddy Palgrave and Alan Robson have been at the school long enough to have taught the parents or grandparents of present day pupils.
Assistant headteacher Maggie Ward attended the school as a pupil herself.
She said: "Having been a pupil at the school in the 1960s, I was delighted to return as a member of staff last year.
"The school has seen many changes and exciting developments, but its aim of ensuring that every child achieves beyond its potential remains the same."The George Farmer Technology and Language College has a strong tradition of organising extra-curricular trips, competitions and events - something that current head of IT Alan Robson has maintained with an annual ski trip for pupils.
He said : "I am in my 36th year at the school and have seen many changes and challenges in that time. It must be a good place for me to have stayed that long."
The school has also been keen to encourage charity donations down the years and is now looking for some help of its own – and will use money raised by its 50th anniversary to go towards a new minibus.
The bus is expected to cost around 20,000 – a shade more than the 1,500 paid when one was bought in 1977!
Head of art Paddy Palgrave encapsulates the affinity many people have for the school, and his love for teaching shows no signs of letting up now he is in his 60s.
He said: "I have really enjoyed my years here, which is why I have continued beyond retirement age. I have seen many changes, but never so many as in the years since Steve Baragwanath became headteacher."
The changes have seen the school given specialist status in technology in 2000 and languages in 2004 and in 2006 vocational status was granted so they could go ahead with its new post-16 study centre.
The school has also recently federated with St Guthlac's in Crowland.
Under head Mr Baragwanath George Farmer has this year been named in the top five per cent in the country for the way it helps year nine pupils to achieve above and beyond their potential and last year achieved record-breaking GCSE exam results.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Spalding
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -7 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
