West Hill School have taken a trip through time to celebrate their heritage as they reach their 95th anniversary.

Nestled in Stalybridge, the school boasts an impressive level of history.

Withstanding wars, pandemics and almost a century of intriguing stories, West Hill continues to create outstanding young men whilst also blessing them with the knowledge of the students who came before them.

West Hill Council School was officially opened on Thursday 24 March 1927. Then, it was home to eight members of teaching staff and 281 students, 3 of those being female.

The school took off brilliantly, laying down their values instantly and shaping excellent students from the beginning.

When World War II hit in 1939, the establishment faced numerous issues. The school was closed temporarily until air raid shelters were positioned on the grounds.

Boys and staff were forced to head to these shelters many times when the school reopened. They were accompanied by several evacuees from Sutton and Cheam Boys School, 60 boys were reported to have joined the school in their flee to safety.

Decades upon decades of history have been stored in the school’s headteachers logbook. The significant document has been written in by every headteacher since 1927 and tells the story of bravery and pride that has been carried through to recent times.

West Hill regularly celebrate previous alumni and invite past pupils to visit the school. Deputy Head, Glynis Wood recalls a time when older boys returned to the site.

“We held an ‘Old Boys Day’ during which we invited boys in who had left the school several decades ago, we showed them old photos and planned to sing them our school song.

“Students from the school choir began to sing the tune, accompanied by a PowerPoint with the words.

“We were amazed to see the men rise from their seats, place their hand onto their chest and begin to sing.”

She says she remembers one of the men exclaiming, “we don’t need the words” and felt an immense amount of pride watching both old and young join in the celebrations.

To mark the 95th anniversary of the school opening, they asked the different departments to carry out their own festivities.

For the English department, this meant composing some articulate poems highlighting how they feel about West Hill.  Geography took the time to look at the headlines during 1927, whereas in maths students were challenged to create a numerical equation with the answer of 95.

These celebrations were thoroughly enjoyed by pupils at the school and allowed them to come together and wonder what life would’ve been like all those years ago.

Speaking on the school’s intentions, Glynis Wood said that a ‘West Hill Boy’ is proud to be at the school and carries a great set of values with him.

This was echoed in their recent OFSTED inspection, during which they were rated, ‘Good’. The report read, “pupils are proud to be part of this tight-knit community. They live by the principles of respect, responsibility and readiness to learn.

“Pupils told inspectors that these principles help to make the school a happy place where they feel safe to flourish.”

The environment within West Hill is clearly a happy one for all. With so many families having generations of boys attending the Stalybridge school, it really is more like a home.

As they approach their centenary in the next few years, history continues to live on with new memories always being made, confirming a long, successful future for the school.

You can read more about West Hill's history and see student's work from the anniversary here.

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