Pupils at Dashwood Primary School studied trees in 1975 and 1976. They looked at the shapes and colours of the fallen autumn leaves, then examined new buds in spring. With help from Paula Humphries, Stephen Penniston does a bark rubbing on a cherry tree in the top picture.

Children at Sibford School thought of schemes to send deprived children on holiday, visit the elderly and maintain footpaths – and won £450 in a national initiatives competition in 1980. Proudly displaying the cheque in the middle picture are, left to right, Caroline Williams, 15, Anne Farr, 18, and Lisa Caudley, 14.

Harriers Ground School also did well in a national competition in 1987. Schools were challenged to compose and perform an original piece of music, and the Banbury entry reached the semi-finals.

The performers were, left to right in the bottom picture, Sara Leport, eight, Charlotte Leport, 10, Marion Clarke, 10, and Holly Lalanne, 11.