County Durham primary school shares old pictures ahead of 60th anniversary celebrations
by Kali Lindsay · ChronicleLiveA primary school is inviting former staff and pupils to help celebrate its 60th anniversary.
Durham Gilesgate Primary School, in Gilesgate, Durham City, officially opened as Durham Gilesgate County Junior School on December 3, 1964 and is planning a year-long celebration of its diamond anniversary.
The first major event is a Winter Fair, to be held at the School on Saturday, November 30, from 2pm. It will feature an exhibition of photographs and memorabilia, and former staff and pupils are invited to contribute and attend, to share their memories and meet old friends.
There will be a memory book open for entries. In addition, the Fair will feature crafts made by current pupils in an after-school club that has run since the October half-term holiday, short performances, and a display of illuminations, inspired by the Lumiere light festival.
The School has additional resourcing for children who are deaf, and Sing Signing will be among the performances.
At 4pm there will be a Lights Switch-On, performed by John Thompson, the School’s first Headteacher.
Into 2025, anniversary celebrations will include pupils undertaking fundraising activities, a history club for pupils, and a conservation club. The School will also host its first Eid supper, recognising the increasing diversity of the school community.
The Year of Celebrations is being organised with the recently established Parent, Teachers and Friends Association (PTFA), which is working to bring families together, promote a sense of community, and raise money for the School.
The PTFA’s target in its first year is to raise £25,000 to fund new play equipment. Various fundraising activities have already taken place, and local businesses are invited to show their support.
The School was founded as a Junior School on its current site, before an Infant School was added nearby. The Junior school merged with the Infant school and Gilesgate Nursery in 1995 to become Durham Gilesgate Primary School.
Later the Infant School section was replaced by what is now the School View cul-de-sac of housing, although the School created its highly successful allotment on a remaining piece of land. This allotment has gone on to win many Beautiful Durham and Northumbria in Bloom awards.
Mark Turner, the School Headteacher, said: “At Durham Gilesgate Primary School we want every child to develop a love for learning and to grow in self-confidence. We aim to be a welcoming, inclusive community, and staff, parents and carers and our local community are key to that.
"As we mark our 60th anniversary, we would love to re-connect with past pupils and staff, and also hear from any individual or business that would like to support us begin the next 60 years on an even stronger footing. It promises to be a great year of celebration.”
The school currently has 147 pupils and six teachers. Mr Turner has been Headteacher for 23 years, and has served at the school since January 1997 when he joined as the Deputy Head.
The school was rated ‘Good’ in its last Ofsted inspection in May 2023.
More recently, the Fischer Family Trust progress measures for 2024 place the school in the top ten per cent of schools for reading, maths and grammar punctuation and spelling; this reflects the strong progress that children make across Key Stages 1 and 2.
To find out more about the School’s 60th anniversary or get involved, please contact: Headteacher Mark Turner at the School on 0191 384 7284.
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