A COMMUNITY had waited nearly 20 years for this moment.

The opening of The Cherwell School in Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, brought a feeling of great relief.

A new secondary school for North Oxford was included in the city’s 1946 development plan.

It was hoped that work would start in 1948, but the Government’s post-war policy was to allow new secondary schools only to meet the needs of new population.

Schools were built to serve new housing at Barton, Northway and Blackbird Leys, but North Oxford had to wait.

Work did not start on what was to become The Cherwell School until 1961.

With some buildings still incomplete, it opened in September 1963 with 320 pupils, drawn mainly from five primary schools in North Oxford and Jericho.

Our picture was taken on the day of the official opening, on July 2, 1964.

The ceremony was performed by Lord Shawcross, who said: “I think I can honestly say I have never seen a better secondary school, either in this country or abroad.”

The headmaster, Eric Baldwin, described the building of the school as a long battle.

He said: “The contractors were as glad to be away from here as we were to be rid of them.”

After the opening ceremony and speeches, guests were taken on a tour of the school and saw exhibitions of pupils’ work and a gymnastics display by girls.