Golden Anniversary Celebration - Report
During the morning, Mike Burgess, chainsaw wood sculptor, spoke to all the children about his work as he started carving a larger than life Oakfield owl from the fallen bough of one of the Oakfield Oaks.
Meanwhile, the children of Sycamore Class started the day's recording in our Heritage Recording Studios with the help of volunteers from the Windsor Museum Oral History Project, asking some of our present staff who are also past Oakfield pupils and parents about their experiences and memories of life at the school in the past. The children discovered that seven of our present staff are ex-pupils.
In the afternoon, the 1963 scene was transformed back into 2013. Over 200 past pupils, parents and staff joined us for our birthday afternoon. Names were discovered in old Admissions Registers, and old photos and school reports pored over in the school hall, while the children proudly demonstrated their 21st Century classrooms and equipment as the visitors toured the school. Many of them willingly shared their stories and memories of Oakfield with the Oral History volunteers in the recording studios, and we await the outcome with interest. Once the tapes have been listened to and edited, we will have a very special and unique record of the school.
At 2:30 the Town crier arrived to summon us all into the school playground where we eagerly awaited the arrival of the Mayor and Mayoress of the Royal Borough Cllr Andrew and Mrs Julia Jenner, who officially opened the new buildings at 3pm with much ribbon and cake cutting to rapturous applause.
Then it was on to the (very popular!) Tudor Hog Roast, celebrating the Tudor Oakfield Oaks in our grounds from which the school gets its name.
A highlight to end this exciting day was the presentation of Mike Burgess’ finished Oakfield Owls carved during the day out of genuine Oakfield Oak. The small one will join our family of Oakfield owls in our entrance hall, but the large one will remain in the playground where he will become the centre of a special garden area which we plan to make as a permanent reminder of our 50th Birthday celebrations.
If you would like to commission an original Mike Burgess sculpture from Oakfield Oak, Mike will donate 20% of the purchase price to the school. See his website for details of his work.
We would like to thank everyone who helped in any way to make the day so special, and also to thank everyone who came. If you missed the day and would still like to drop in and see the exhibition and displays, please contact us to arrange a time.
