In January 1975 Malcolm JC Emery became headmaster and his personality shone through in his log book entries. The log book became less official in style and exclamation marks abounded!
Football team 1975. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
This entry from January 1975: “AH [teacher] and myself (Mr Emery) in cars together with three parents in theirs, took a group of twenty-three (!!!) children to St Peters Junior School, Marlborough for a football match against their 3rd team and some netball practice on their pitches. We lost 2-1 but everyone enjoyed themselves and the girls got on very well with the Marlborough children who were coaching them. A few tears when we left! Even the weather was wet!”
Sports matches and events featured regularly, both home and away, much enjoyed by the children by all accounts. The log book also records waterlogged pitches in South Marston from time to time, which has continued until recently.
Frequent fund-raising events were held, and in December 1975 the first disco-dance for parents and teachers raised £15. A sponsored walk around the village in October 1976 raised £150 for school funds – a significant sum then.
Swim award Crystal Palace. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
14 December 1978
Swimming lessons had been a school activity for some time, but suddenly they were taken to a whole new level when in 1978 the school won the first of a number of national awards:
“The Mayor presented a swimming prize, our school having come first in a national swimming contest, sponsored by a large company (Coca Cola) – we won out of 48,000 children! The school was packed with people. Ended at 10.30pm.”
17 December 1979
Children won the Area Championship in swimming under the Dolphin Trophy scheme.
19 November 1980
Children went to Crystal Palace for presentation of the trophy for the Dolphin National Swimming Award.
3 March 1982
“School closed so we could visit the Crystal Palace as National Winners of the Dolphin Trophy Swimming Award…we had a good day and the children were presented their trophy by television personality Keith Chegwin.”
29 November 1982
“A gala day for the school. Mr Neil MacFarlane, Minister for Sport came to present our swimming awards. This was a very major occasion and we had most parents as well as the Area Education Office, Mr David Williamson, and representatives from Coca-Cola and the press, the school having “swept the board” in the national competition. This year we felt very proud of ourselves. We are unlikely to repeat it!”
3 February 1983
“After a very quiet January, we begin February with an exciting trip to Crystal Palace for the official trophy presentations for the Dolphin Trophy. It was very similar to last year except that this time it was RN [child] who was sick (twice!)”
The first meeting of the newly formed parents’ association “The Friends of South Marston School” took place in January 1982. Mr Emery noted “It is hoped this more formal association will improve still further the involvement of the parents with the school and with the village itself…”
School photo c.1985. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
On 19 July 1985 the school year ended and Malcolm Emery recorded his last entry in the log book “Today is my final day at South Marston School after over ten years. I shall miss this school very much, but I wish my successor, Mr Steve Bicknell, as much happiness as I have had and best wishes in his new post.”
As with all previous head teachers, Steve Bicknell divided his time between teaching and his duties as head. There were 3 classes in 1985, one with the youngest pupils and the other two with a mix of three year groups. The number on roll was 53, with 19 children in the top class, 16 in middle class and 18 in reception/middle. Mr Bicknell took the top class.
Steve Bicknell and team. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
The children’s success in swimming continued and the following 6 March 1986 entries were recorded:
“Presentation of the Dolphin Award Trophy at the school. Officials from the ESSA, The Dolphin Trophy, Coca Cola (sponsors), W.C.C., local press and radio were all present. Colin Gordon and Colin Calderwood from Swindon Town FC presented the trophy. We all then went to the Link Centre and had a swim followed by lunch. Extremely successful day. The children enjoyed themselves and were able to demonstrate their musical prowess in the morning by singing “Learn to Swim” – a song composed by the children and Mrs M [music teacher] especially for the occasion.”
Teacher Mrs H was credited with enabling the children to reach such a high standard.
12 February 1988
“School closed whilst the teaching staff accompanied by myself [Mr Bicknell] and my twenty 2nd, 3rd and 4th year juniors went to London for the launch of the new Dolphin Swimming Trophy “Learn to Swim” scheme. We had been invited to sing our composition “Learn to Swim” in the presence of Colin Moyniham MP, Minister of Sport and the BBC Newsround cameras. We were also filmed swimming at the Chelsea Sports Centre and later returned to the Dolphin Brasserie for a superb lunch. We even had time to visit The Tate before returning home. A film of us singing and swimming appeared on Newsround at 5pm that day. A famous and unforgettable day!”
The children did not wear school uniform at that time, other than a school t-shirt. At a meeting in May 1986, the t-shirt was voted out and it was agreed that parents would dress their children in any combination of grey and blue. In 1987 sweatshirts with the school logo (appropriately, dolphins around the school name) were adopted, followed by new t-shirts in 1988.
Discussions regarding the lack of space started immediately after Mr Bicknell’s appointment and a second mobile classroom was finally installed behind the toilet block in summer 1987.
Mr Bicknell resigned as head teacher in Summer 1988 to take up a post as an advisory head teacher and Mr Dan Sinclair took over a headteacher of South Marston School.
Mrs Metcalfe with the school choir at the Devizes Music Festival 1989
With Mr Sinclair’s headship came the era of big drama productions, starting with “Oliver!” in over 3 nights in Spring 1989.
The log book records:
““Oliver!” performances 7pm – 9.15. Played to packed houses to enthusiastic support.
The full realisation of the enormity of the task we had taken on only gradually dawned on everyone! I have produced such shows many times so I, at least knew something of what to expect – I think!
Every child in the school was in the cast with the major parts going to the older children. Two adults appeared as Fagin and Mr Bumble – both put in a tremendous amount of time and effort and were excellent. Teachers coordinated and directed operations on props and costumes with great enthusiasm and dedication.
All the parents were involved in supplying their own child with much of their costumes.
Together with parents we built a folding unit stage system (materials supplied by Crosby Doors) and set (materials supplied by parents).
We put up full theatre lighting, operated by a parent.
G [teacher] rehearsed and trained the whole school regarding singing.
We rehearsed after school 3 times a week with the principals until 2 weeks before the show when we involved all the children in and after school time.
The leads had enormous parts to learn and lots of singing to do and the outcome was truly amazing.
Olivers (MW, AJ) Dodgers (AF, JB) Sykes (MS) and Nancy (MC) stand out exceptionally, but everyone had fears to conquer, hurdles to clear and self-discipline to learn. They all grew visibly as the term wore on.
In the end we played to a total audience of over 250 who were fulsome in their praise.
Financially, we priced programmes at £2 (designed and word processed by the children) and broke even in the whole event.
During performances teams of parents did make-up, marshalled back stage and supervised those waiting.
It was a tremendous effort on everyone’s part and everyone can be justifiably proud of what we achieved.”
School trips were many and varied and summer terms included a ‘School Trip Week’ where multiple visits to near and far took place. Notable visits included Camber Sands, Bristol Exploratory, Wilton Windmill, the Honda factory, Jansen Pharmaceuticals, Tower of London, London museums, water sports at South Cerney.
The new pond. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
SATs began in 1991, involving considerable preparation which was quite a strain on resources. The school’s number on roll had continued to increase and with it came an evident frustration about the school’s accommodation and facilities.
However, along with the difficulties there were also successes and a large pond/environmental study centre was completed after much hard work, especially by parents RT and JC. As Mr Sinclair left to take up a new position, he was very pleased to leave it as a lasting legacy of his time at the school.
