One of the first pupils to attend English Martyrs’ Catholic Voluntary Academy returned to celebrate the school’s 60th anniversary.
Monika Dooley (née Wake) was in the first intake on the Long Eaton school’s opening day in 1965.
Sixty years later she returned to attend anniversary celebrations which included a fun day and picnic with current and former staff and pupils.
Monika said: “I was in the very first intake on the very first day. I remember lining up in the infant playgroup waiting to go into the first class. I cried all day but it did get better after that! I remember the headmaster was very strict but very fair and I think the teachers had a lot more autonomy back then. There was one teacher in a class there were no teaching assistants.
“School dinners were very traditional and we didn’t line up to get them. We sat at tables and two junior children served the dinners. I loved art and I also liked school plays although I always wanted to be Angel Gabriel but never was!”
Former pupil Merrin Shelton, 26, joined English Martyrs’ in 2003 and left in 2010 and now works as a Reception Class teacher abroad.
She said: “It’s a lovely school. There’s a real community feel. We always used to do school plays and in Year 6 we did Olivia, a version of Oliver, and I played Olivia. I still have a friend who I met here, we’ve been friends now for 20 odd years.”
As well as the picnic and fun day, earlier in the year the school celebrated Mass with the Bishop of Nottingham as part of the 60th celebrations.
Headteacher Gemma Ellis said: “I am so proud to be the current Headteacher of such a wonderful school that has such a supportive community stretching back 60 years. We have had a lovely celebration today, and combined with the Bishop’s Mass a few weeks ago, it has been a great opportunity to open up the school to past and present pupils, teachers and parents, to reflect on the friendship, kindness, learning and hope that the building has seen.”
