Memories come flooding back at Bognor Regis Community College

Around 400 people attended the open day celebrating the present building which is due to be demolished later this summer to make way for a multi-million-pound new facility being opened this September.

From twentysomethings to pensioners, they all came for a nostalgic view of the place which formed a central part in their formative years, even enticing back a couple of former headteachers.

But from speaking to some of the earliest pupils, it seems none could have quite matched the strict manner with which its first head, Mr 'Gaffer' Groves, kept discipline in the late 1930s.

Peter Shephard, now 77, certainly remembers the good old days of being there in the mid1940s, when it was deeply frowned upon for girls and boys to mix '“ with senior pupils being educated at different ends of the school.

"Those were the best times of our lives, just mucking about with my friends. They did football, cricket and boxing back then. We really enjoyed it all, but I do remember the headmaster used the cane in those days."

His nostalgic recollections were certainly shared by one couple, Alan and Marie Taylor, who met at the school during the mid-1940s and this New Year's Eve will celebrate their golden wedding.

"It was fantastic, I was there from 1946-57 and I can remember my first day quite well," said Mr Taylor, who lives at Mill Farm, Pagham.

"I was actually so upset they took me home at lunchtime. But I met my wife Marie there when I was 13 or 14.

"We were not supposed to talk to the girls, but things were serious between us from the age of 15. It was puppy love, but here we are 53 years later. We're still together and will be celebrating our anniversary with a cruise in June."

Mr Taylor became a civil engineer and his wife worked in several schools in Bognor including The Glade. They have five children and are proud grandparents to 12 youngsters.

From a younger generation, former pupil Richard Kemp, now 28 and still living near the school, recalled some great memories of the place. He is an aspiring novelist who ran into one of his old teachers at the open day who is trying to track down some of his old poetry.

He said: "It brings back a tidal wave of memories all at once. I've been looking round all my old classrooms and it's sad it's going to go. But it's good there's the new building.

"I've managed to see some friends and teachers, so it's a nice trip down memory lane for me."

His teacher, Wendy Webb, said: "I was here during 1968-75 in the days of O-Levels and CSEs when it was celebrated as being one of the biggest mixed comprehensives in the country.

"I've some happy memories of it. I always liked biology and now I'm back here teaching sixth form students. I'm looking forward to

the new school now which will have all-mod cons."

Alan Duke, who was headteacher between 1988-1995 and is now an equities trader in North Wales, explained he was glad to make the journey back to Sussex.

He said: "My memories of the place are of seeing the pupils progress and achieve.

"There was a good atmosphere and some strong results when I was there and it was a place where people really wanted to come.

"This isn't really a sad occasion as the new building is what

pupils really deserve '“ I had to fight very hard for funding from government, but it was a happy time for me and I'm very nostalgic about it."

Present headteacher David Jones added it had been a great success to mark the building's long history.

"It's great so many people have come along," he said.

What do you think? Send a letter to [email protected] or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click here to add yourself to our readers' map.