THE arrival of spring after a long hard winter is always a cause for celebration.

And these children from St Michael’s School in Marston Road, Oxford, made sure the new season came in with a bang in 1976.

They entertained parents and friends with performances of a musical play called Heffle Cuckoo Fair.

The play was written by headmaster Michael Howard and involved almost all 120 pupils, from the youngest, aged five, to the oldest, aged 10.

The odd-sounding title came from a story by Rudyard Kipling, on which the show was based.

It told how the start of spring was signalled by the release of a cuckoo at Heathfield (corrupted to Heffle) Fair.

The show also included country dancing, folk songs and choral verse.

Two performances were given at the end of the spring term.

Under Mr Howard, a fine pianist, who also taught pupils to play the instrument, the school had a reputation for producing excellent shows.

St Michael’s School started life as New Marston CofE School on land given by the Morrell brewery family.

Its first pupils arrived in 1927 and it was officially opened by Lady Morrell a year later.

During the war, some evacuees were taught there – local children went to school in the morning and evacuees in the afternoon. For many years, an air raid shelter stood in the school grounds.

The school celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2003 with an open day, which attracted many past pupils and teachers.

It was a popular school, not only for children but also with staff, some of whom served for many years.

They included teachers Mabel Carter, Mrs Harding, Ruth Carter and Muriel Henderson and headmaster Wilfred Willis.

One of the most colourful members of staff was wartime headmistress Miss Chandler.

Former pupils recall her arriving at school in her tiny Austin Ruby car to cheers from pupils of “here comes Maggie in her matchbox!”

Some days, because of petrol rationing during the Second World War, she would leave the car at home and ride her sit-up-and-beg bike.