THE opening of Rose Hill Primary School in Oxford created interest far and wide.

The showpiece buildings attracted delegations from all over the world, including Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Australia and British Guiana.

At the official opening on July 10, 1952, John Christi, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, surprised the 200 parents and 80 official guests assembled in the hall with his view of the new school.

He said Westminster and Winchester, two public schools where he had been head, could not boast such fine classrooms as Rose Hill.

Our interest in Rose Hill School was sparked by former pupil Andrea Jones, of Broughton Close, Old Marston.

She has sent in the picture above right, taken a few months after the first pupils arrived in January 1951.

It shows Miss Leafe’s class of six- and seven-year-olds.

Mrs Jones, whose maiden name was Hamblin, writes: “These children will now be in their late sixties. My younger siblings (twins), Irene and Michael Hamblin, are in the second and third rows. I was in Mr Kelly’s class of 10-year-olds at that time and have many happy memories of the school.”

Ann Spokes Symonds gives some interesting facts about the school in her book, The Changing Faces of Rose Hill, one of the series of popular local history books published by Robert Boyd, of Witney.

The school log books record that in September 1952, a school uniform was introduced in maroon and turquoise (later changed to navy), with caps for boys, berets for girls, and badges and ties for both.

In June 1954, staff were worried that children were coming to school tired after staying up late to watch television. Parents were asked to check their children’s viewing.

In the early years, pupils were given small canvas bags to take home at the end of one term. In the bags were gifts such as a ball or book.

In 1959, a teacher was reprimanded for giving two children the slipper. Although corporal punishment was still allowed at that time, it could be given only by the head or a teacher appointed by the head.

One former pupil who visited the school was invited to see whether his name appeared in the punishment book. He assured everyone that it would not be there. But an entry was found – “PC was throwing ink pellets at the wall and received one stroke”.

The culprit had put his bad behaviour behind him, earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree and become a university lecturer!