Sheffield primary school travels back in time to celebrate 40 years since nursery opened

Wharncliffe Side Primary School, on Brightholmlee Lane, celebrated the occasion by hosting a ‘groovy day’ on Friday, December 13.

For the day both staff and pupils donned their best fringe jackets, flared pants and retro t-shirts to fit the 70’s theme with a prize awarded for the best dressed in each class.

There were also two 70’s discos, one for the nursery and reception children and another for the rest of the school, as well as a special themed dinner.

Nursery leader Olivia Knight added: “We’ve dug out loads of photos and invited all the ex-staff, so everybody can have a look at those and reminisce and talk about the good times.

“Prior to the disco we also had an assembly talking to the children about the events that happened in 1979, teaching them about the history of the nursery and other special things that happened and toys they would have played with, programmes they would have watched, things like that.”

Headteacher Matt Gaughan has worked at the school for 16 years, moving from being a teacher to part of the leadership team before being appointed headteacher.

He said: “Our nursery has been part of what makes the school what it is for 40 years now. Most of the children that come to our nursery then go through to the school and they stay around. People bring their own children back, people that come to work here have been to our nursery and everybody always comments on what a warm, friendly and welcoming environment it is. So we thought it was important to publicise that.”

The nursery at Wharncliffe Side Primary opened in 1979 and was full, with enough space for 26 children.

It did not have an integrated resource for children with special educational needs at this time, however this was later introduced.

But despite going through change over the years one thing has remained – a family ethos which is inclusive and nurturing.

Sue Campbell started working at Wharncliffe Side in 1989, spending about 12 years with the team as a nursery nurse. Speaking at the event she said: “What we found was that people living in the community would use the school, but even if they moved out they would come back. It’s a sense of the staff, walking in today felt exactly like it did when I walked out of it.

“That sense of belonging and the way that the children all value each other, those principals of family and trust are what this place was based on.”