THERE was great excitement when this minibus arrived at Peers School at Littlemore.
Pupils could look forward to escaping from lessons and enjoying expeditions and outings.
Headmaster Mr K Bradshaw, left, is pictured shaking hands with Chief Superintendent Dennis Wilkins, former chairman of the school’s parent-teacher association, which helped raised the money.
Delivery of the minibus in 1971 had been delayed for several weeks by a strike at the Ford plant where it was built.
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Pupils crowded round to welcome it when it finally arrived at the school gates and was driven into the playground.
The vehicle cost more than £1,200. Boys at the school contributed £400 with a sponsored walk and the parent-teacher association raised the rest.
The Oxford Academy
That wasn’t the only reason for celebration at the school that year.
Staff and pupils had been highly praised by critics and audiences for two ambitious stage productions.
One was a musical about ancient Egypt entitled ‘Excuse Me, That’s My Mummy’, while another group performed an adaptation of Seneca’s Oedipus.
Peers School was reopened as an Academy in September 2008.
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An extensive multi-million pound building programme was completed for staff and pupils in 2011.
The academy in Sandy Lane West is the the secondary school for about 1,000 pupils in The Leys, Rose Hill and Littlemore areas.
It has specialist status in mathematics, computing, and sport.
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