Staff return to celebrate Park Gate Primary School’s 40th birthday

Pupils and staff from past and present joined in a celebratory tea party to mark 40 years at Park Gate Primary School.

Rebecca Kingsland and guest of honour Hazel Gallagher cut the cake

Former teachers and pupils – some of whom are now at Brookfield School – came together in the hall to cheer on the cutting of a cake, which was made by Year 3 teacher Hannah McElroy.

Husband and wife Peter and Katherine Godfrey travelled from furthest away making the trip from Gloucestershire, where they now both live and teach at the same school.

They both taught at Park Gate in the 90s when the site changed from initially being a junior school to a primary school.

Peter, who was at the school from 1995 to 1999, proposed at the Northmore Road site to Katherine – who had joined the school two years before him. With that memory, it was great for the married couple to reunite with old colleagues.

“There was no reason why I proposed here,” laughed Peter, 45. “We were busy during the day so I decided to do it. It’s really nice coming back and seeing the changes. It still looks pretty much the same, but they did some extra building work when we left.”

Katherine added: “It’s so nice to come back. The temporary huts which I started in have been pulled down. I remember coming in to teach here and all the Reception children were so little.”

See our film of the celebrations

Guest of honour was 70-year-old Hazel Gallagher, who lives in Lyndale Road, Park Gate. She was one of the first staff members to join the school in 1973 working on site until she retired five years ago.

“I got a job at St John’s and when the school split I was given the option to come here,” she said. “All my three children came here and three of my grandchildren.

“Over the years it’s changed so much it’s unbelievable really.

“I loved every minute of it. I wouldn’t’ have stayed that long if I hadn’t enjoyed it.”

She sat with former colleagues Pauline Chapman and Ann Martine who both worked at the school 26 years ago.

Alex and Amanda Sharpe, both 43, attended the school together and married later in life. Their son Robert, 11, said he had enjoyed his time at Park Gate, while Alex, who is looking forward to working in Year R in September, reminisced about his time at the school.

“I remember at Christmas the catering staff would hide and we’d have to sing loudly we all wanted figgy pudding,” said Alex. “They’d then bring out the Christmas pudding each with a penny in it.”

Pupils sang, played recorder and performed a scene from a recent production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest with Eloise Noonan, 10, playing the lead role as monster Caliban. She improvised during the show by walking through the audience and scaring them.

Head teacher Rebecca Kingsland congratulated her two predecessors on their roles at the school and said: “It’s really nice to see so many people. I have to say the biggest thank you to the staff. I’ve never worked with such a fantastic bunch of staff.

“The children never cease to make us proud. It’s been a great year with different events and it’s nice to finish with everyone coming back and with all the Brookfield pupils coming back as well.”

See our gallery of the celebrations at Park Gate Primary School. Click on each photo to see a larger image.

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