Egglescliffe Secondary Modern School opened in April 1962 so 2002  will see its 40^th birthday.  We decided to look at the changes which have occurred over this period and set off with an eager group of students from all years to look at our own history.

We started with oral recordings of memories of past pupils and staff – great fun but the transcription was hard work!  Then we collected photos and newspaper cuttings from former members of the school, the local reference library, the internet and the Evening Gazette offices and have refined this all into a portable display and will follow up with a small pamphlet – contact the school for more details.  We also plan a short video interviewing former staff and students, looking at the changes over the years.

The biggest changes have seen us going from an 11-15 secondary modern school to an 11-16 comprehensive with a sixth form up to 18 years under the control of first Durham County, then Teesside, Cleveland and presently Stockton Local Education Authority.

Students were fascinated by the curriculum changes – cookery for girls, gardening for boys and discipline procedures – the dreaded cane!  Ideas such as ‘Head Boy’, and whole school dances, the playgroup run by the Child Care students on school premises and the PE teacher disappearing on Friday afternoons to play football for Darlington FC were novel!

     'I enjoyed taking interviews as it was fun and we found out lots from ex-pupils.  It was interesting to see the old pupils coming in to be amazed by how much it had changed.  I also enjoyed looking at the difference in the uniform and buildings.'    Katie Brown

'I am really glad the display turned out how it did.  It was, is, excellent.  I really enjoyed finding out about our school's history.  It was really interesting seeing what had changed and how it had changed.  I really  liked doing the interviews because it's fascinating what ex-pupils and ex-teachers thought about the school today and how it was when they were here.  I found it really funny looking at my teachers- how they were!  I found looking at the pictures really interesting.  The best part though, was the fact that we worked together to put that fantastic display up to show what hard work we had put in to produce that fantastic achievement.'    Dean Hodgson

'I found this a very fulfilling project and think the end results are well set out and presented in an eye catching style.  I feel this is a valuable asset to the school and will give people an insight in to how well our school is doing and has done over the past 40 years.'   

Helen Wilks

'I enjoyed taking part in the history of the school project as I found it interesting.  Interviewing was what I found also interesting as we found a lot about the school and what it was like for the people of the time.'  

 Daniel Norman

'It's fantastic, a wonderful example of teamwork.'  Mrs Darnell, Head.

'It has given students of Egglescliffe an opportunity to meet people of a different generation and listen to their experiences of school 40 years ago.  A superb example of the community, students, technicians, teachers and support staff contributing to a worthwhile project.'  

Mrs Richardson, Head of History.

'This has been an ideal opportunity for all pupils, students and staff of Egglescliffe School-both past and present!-to participate in a special project which reminds us how community minded and family oriented we are.  Congratulations to everyone whose hard work has made it possible.'  

 Alison Frost, Teacher-Librarian.

'It brought back happy memories and the display is excellent.'   

Mr Tebbs, ex-pupil 1962-now CDT Technician.