AROUND 150 people – including former staff, students and previous headteachers – came together last Friday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Chadsgrove School.
Richard Aust, who was head for 19 years, and Deb Rattley, who recently stepped aside from the role to become CEO, both spoke at the event.
Current acting head, Beck Gayden, gave an interesting insight into the school’s history after gleaning information from the original admissions register and the headteachers’ logbooks.
She said the history books showed the first ever school in Catshill opened in 1856 and – comparing it to Chadsgrove’s recent Ofsted – added it was visited by inspectors in 1869.
Chadsgrove School officially opened on April 27, 1976, and by September of that year, there were 44 pupils.
In the first year, the children had a ‘Riding with the Disabled’ session – an activity today’s Chadsgrove pupils still participate in.
There was also a cheese and wine party for the community, attended by 120 people and, a year later, the local Women’s Institute (WI) donated rose trees to be planted in the grounds.
By 1978, there were 66 pupils.
Mr Aust, who was headteacher from 1990 to 2009, praised everyone at the school, from the pupils to all the staff – including teachers, teaching assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech language therapists, kitchen staff, drivers and more.
He said: “To everyone here: ‘you are all heroes’.
“The staff – both then and now – go the extra mile and care so much about the school and its pupils.”
Of the students he said: “I think you have all had a tough start in life and have all had to wok hard just to do the simple things.
“Many of you will have had operations and maybe faced discrimination but you have got through it all.
“And that is why you are all heroes.”
He spoke about the differences between when the school opened and now.
“Back then there were only eight parking spaces, no computers, no changing rooms, no lifts on minibuses, no security – now we have a multi-sensory room, soft play, a music department and the post 16 to 18 Chadsgrove College.”
Former heads David Nicholas, Deb Rattley and Richard Aust at the school’s 40th anniversary. s
He pointed out that, back when the school opened, Brotherhood of Man won Eurovision with ‘Save All Your Kisses for Me’, Harold Wilson had quit as Prime Minister and was replaced by James Callaghan, petrol was 14p per litre and Mars Bars were just 10p.
And he paid tribute to the first headteacher David Nicholas who started the ball rolling of the friendly and welcoming school.
Ms Rattley read a poem she had written about the school and added: “When I took over from Richard, he told me it was ‘the best job in the World’ and he was right.
“It has never really felt like a job – this is a special school for special people with extra special staff.
“It’s about trust, teamwork and friendships – years of learning, laughing and legacy – care, courage and community.
“And I hope it stays like this for many years to come.”
The 50th anniversary cake is created by Nikki Taylor. Picture by Tristan Harris. Copyright Bullivant Media Group Ltd.
To top off the celebrations, a special 50th birthday cake was created by the school’s art and design lead, Nikki Taylor.
