A lot has changed in 50 years at Montgomery Infants School but the children still come first

The school in Baronswood Way, Colchester, opened its doors in September 1967.

Named after Viscount Montgomery, the school was a garrison school, a safe haven for pupils from all over the UK while their dads were away fighting for Queen and country.

Today, it serves the community with its ties to the Garrison remaining strong.

Four former members of staff, alongside the current head teacher Sally Leung, reminisced in the staff room where they all once reconvened.

Barbara Spriggs spoke of how big a part the school played in taking care of children who faced emotional challenges.

The 66-year-old joined the school as a newly qualified teacher in 1972 and taught there for 18 years.

She said: “When I was teaching we had all the problems in Northern Ireland.

“The soldiers were away and the children’s pictures had drawings of bombs dropping as it was affecting them mentally, they were really missing their dads.

“As we drove in mirrors were put under our cars to check for bombs, it was a horrible time.

“Military children are resilient, they make so much progress and they are so enthusiastic.

“So often they were on the move and their possessions would be locked up. They just loved coming to school, it’s was their security.”

Grainy black and white photos of the school show its six classrooms.

Today the school has nine classrooms filled with the sounds of 332 children excited to learn.

It is colourful and bright and blessed with a huge playing field.

The school, which is based close to the Merville Barracks, has seen a huge amount of change over the years.

Heather Canler, 79, was head teacher for 21 years from 1976. She has vivid memories of computers being introduced.

“It seems strange now but then computers had not been thought of for schools.

During the lunch hour two children would sit patiently in front of a blank screen waiting for a tape to noisily load,” she said.

Now the school has access to laptops, handheld devices and smart-boards - an amazing change in the times, the teachers say.

The school’s dedication to giving children the best education was picked up by watchdog Ofsted in 2004.

Christine Rudland was head teacher at the school from 1997 until 2010 and the 70-year-old remembers the school’s success.

She said: “My best memory was when we got an outstanding Ofsted report, it was the first time they had ever given feedback to all staff.

“It’s because we are a team and everybody has an important part to play. If someone can do something better than the management, we stand aside and let them do it.

“It was amazing, Ofsted called it the children’s safe haven.”

Current headteacher Sally Leung, who has been at the school for 38 years, said during her seven years in charge she and the 56 staff have always put the children first.

The school takes about 54 per cent of children from families of soldiers at Colchester Garrison.

“The biggest thing for me is the Montgomery family,” she said. “We walk families round the estate, not just the school, and welcome them in.

“I’m out there every morning and every afternoon so they get that good start to the day.”

Children walk through the gates with smiles on their faces as her roll-call song of choice is Pharrell Williams’ song Happy.

Sally said: “I have so many parents with even bigger needs now, sometimes I don’t turn my computer on until lunchtime as I am supporting the children and their families. It’s very challenging.”

From September children with extra needs in Years 1 and 2 will have an extra year of play-based learning to reach their potential.

“Supporting the children is really important and that’s what we spend the budget money on. These little children need some loving memories of their education,” Sally said.

Despite the changes in education and the emotional changes the children face daily, Christine said their attitudes stay the same.

She finds an old photograph of herself with her former class and smiles.

“The atmosphere and aura of this place feels the same,” she said. “The children’s needs stay the same even if everything around them changes.

“The first interview I did after becoming headteacher was with a woman who is now deputy head. If people are happy here they don’t move and it reflects the fact its a nice place to be.

“We always celebrated the attitude to learning as well as the success. It doesn’t matter how clever you are, it’s the attitude you have and that’s everything.”

The women best placed to tell of why the school is so passionate is Barbara Underwood, who is now 73.

Barbara joined as a class teacher in 1974 and retired at the age of 58, but she still helps children with reading on a Wednesday and Thursday. When asked why she keeps coming back, she said: “It’s the atmosphere of the school, the happiness, the wanting children to progress, and the fact everyone at the school is part of a team.

“It doesn’t matter who or what you are."