School 2008. Courtesy of Ian Plested
Mrs Alison Lowe had previously been a numeracy adviser for Swindon Borough Council and was enthusiastic in taking up her first headship in January 2008. Much changed in the early days, including a more-topic based approach to the children’s education. Many technical improvements took place in the school office over the period.
Hot school meals had ended a few years prior to Mrs Lowe’s appointment, moving to a packed lunch only arrangement. The government set about a review to the provision of school meals as part of a drive to improve the nation’s health, and announced new standards for school lunches to be implemented over a number of years. This necessitated another expansion to the school in 2009 to include a fully-functioning kitchen and dining room, It also included a new staffroom, office improvements and a meeting room. Hot meals cooked on-site were reintroduced in November 2010.
Work on the extension 2009. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
2011 saw the official opening of St Julians Woodland and a metal bench and mosaic were unveiled. The children had helped to design the mosaic with artist Anita Andrews. The same year, the children helped design a sculpture for the front of the school. It was installed in January 2012 by the artist Diccon Dadey on the grass by the red door.
Christmas 2012, like many others over the years, was a special time at South Marston Primary School. Festivities started early that year with a staff trip to Bath Pump Rooms for afternoon champagne tea and a walk around the Christmas Market to mark Mrs Lowe’s leaving at the end of the term. The school nativities were a great success and were followed soon after by Christmas Dinner Day with the whole school eating dinner in the hall with party hats and Christmas music. There was a pantomime at The Mercure Hotel, funded by The F and E Harris Memorial Trust, and a carol service in church where everyone said their goodbyes to Mrs Lowe.
Mrs Lowe. Courtesy of South Marston C of E Primary School
Mrs Lowe recorded these words in the log book: “It is now my final entry into the log book. I have had a wonderful time at South Marston, we have made many changes and I am so very proud of our achievements. The children and staff have been amazing people to work alongside and lead. The parents and governors have supported me every step of the way. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to start my headship career. South Marston C of E Primary is a very special place and I shall miss it tremendously.”
Luke Maddison took over the headship in 2013, having previously been acting head at Lacock School.
An Ofsted inspection was conducted just weeks after his arrival and the school received a ‘good’ rating. He said at the time, “Being in post for just over five weeks when we were inspected gives me a great starting point for leading the school forward and identifies very clearly what we need to do to improve.” Another inspection took place in 2019, when the school celebrated another ‘good’ grading.
Mr Maddision and pupils. Reproduced with kind permission of Swindon Advertiser
Mr Maddison will be remembered for taking the school from Local Authority to Academy status when, in 2016, it joined the Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust.
Throughout Mrs Lowe’s and Mr Maddison’s time at the school there were many detailed meetings, consultations and plans regarding the expansion of the village and school.
Luke Maddison left South Marston at Easter 2020 to take up a permanent headship at Sutton Benger. He had been sharing his working week between the two schools for some time prior to his appointment. Marie Hendry, the deputy headteacher, was appointed Head of School and her position as Headteacher was confirmed later the same year.
Mrs Hendry, courtesy of South Marston C of E School
In March/April 2020, the same time as Mrs Hendry became Head, the Coronavirus pandemic struck, and hers was a baptism of fire, as the school closed for the first of the country’s lockdowns.
Much work was going on at home by the headteacher, the teachers and administrative staff, handling the massive changes that had occurred in such a short period of time and planning for the return to school. Home schooling was put into place with teachers and teaching assistants working incredibly hard to provide lessons and support online and to keep in touch with the children. Fortunately, the school’s laptops had only recently been replaced, so the old laptops were provided for children who needed them. When the school reopened, it was for children in certain categories only, later opening to all with class ‘bubbles’ in place to protect children and staff as far as possible.
A further lockdown closed the school to most pupils between January and March 2021, when only children of key workers and those in a few other groups attended. The pandemic continued to challenge for some time after, with numerous adjustments required to manage the risks to children and staff.
Anniversary bear. Courtesy of Hilary Brooks
In late 2021, elements of the office function were centralised and, over the course of the academic year, were honed by office staff and the Trust with the intention of establishing a smoother and more efficient organisation throughout the schools within Diocese of Bristol Academies Trust.
The school’s 150th celebrations took place in brilliant sunshine on 23 June 2023, with cream teas for parents, staff and children in the school grounds. Children from Class 4 told the history of the school and a new wellbeing lodge was opened. Gifts were given to children as a memento of the occasion.
School 2020. Credit Stuart Young
In January 2025, South Marston C of E Primary school transferred to a new academy trust, The Blue Kite Academy Trust.
As at 2025, expansion of the school comes closer, with building work commencing on the New Eastern Villages (NEV) development to the south of the village.