Alumni 1970’s

Dave joined us in 1976.

He has many fond memories of school especially "Mr Perkins - Technical drawing was my most enjoyable subject and he was always patient and willing to explain things that you didn't grasp."

Dave is now a manager of a waste to energy plant.

Andy started in 1976.

He remembers Mr Granville who taught Woodwork and Mrs Holmes and Mr Parks, the Headmaster. He told us that Mr Kirk inspired him to keep an allotment later in life, from the lessons he had outside in the garden at school.

He told us "Mr Morris was just so mild mannered and listened to your problems."

Andy moved to Coventry 8 years ago and is a Janitor.

Keith started at Studley High in 1974.

Keith remembers Mr Morris (so tall, they nicknamed him 'pylon'!)

One day in assembly the police had asked the headmaster to warn us all of the dangers of climbing on pylons. The headmaster, Mr Parkes made the comment and was greeted with a burst of laughter from the pupils. It wasn't very often you could get him speechless, but that was one of occasions especially as half the staff were smiling as well, including Mr Morris!

Keith's favourite teacher was Mrs Stanley. He tells us " she gave me confidence by believing in me."

Keith is now a full time carer, for his disabled wife.

Monica started at Studley in 1975.

Monica remembers Mrs Farmer, who really encouraged her to re-join the hockey team after a knee operation. Monica states that she "really enjoyed sports in those days."

I started working in 1978 at 16 years old for HDA Forgings (Mettis Aerospace) as an office junior for 5 years, including 3 years part-time Business Education at Redditch College. After a redundancy I progressed to Brooklyn Garage, office clerk & accounts assistant, then moved on to two different local body repair shops.

Later, I worked again as an Accounts Manager at local plastics company and then moved to Poole, Dorset to work at a similar role for a software company in Ringwood.

I later moved back to Studley and worked as an Accounts Manager at a couple of local IT companies, moving to Bumble Hole Foods, Bromsgrove.

I currently work as an Accounts/Office Manager at Mayswood Garage, Wootton Wawen. I also work part time at a company in accounts/payroll on Sage systems which I am very experienced.

I have been very lucky never to be out of work for 40 years!

Sally started here in 1977.

I remember the great plays I was lucky enough to perform in, especially 'The Card', as well as my English Teacher, Mrs Davies. She used to say "that's not a threat it's a promise'! She inspired me to do English A' Level. Mr Perkins was my first year from Tutor. He was lovely. He taught DT which was not considered a subject for Girls! Mrs Parker for Home Economics and Childcare. All the teachers were all so passionate about teaching!

I have been working at King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, in King's Heath since 2003. I work in the school office monitoring attendance as well as administration.

Craig joined in 1971.

Craig remembers, "in my first year the headmaster was Mr Harper who I understood to be an ex-military man. He gave house points for pupils who swung their arms when walking along the corridor! I stayed on for the 6th form and obtained an A Level in Economics which was possibly a one off."

Craig has memories of Mr Johnson (Maths) "...he had a great sense of humour and wrote 'annanarf' on the blackboard to denote 'and a half'! We were allowed to attend his funeral when he sadly died during my years as a pupil."

After a successful career as a Senior manager at Lloyd's Banking Group, Craig is happily retired and still lives in the village carrying out volunteer work.

Mark joined in Year 9, in 1979.

He arrived at Studley High at the end of 2nd year going into 3rd from Greville High in Alcester. Playing musical instruments was something that came naturally to Mark; his Mum was a piano teacher.

I joined the school band and various groups and snapped up the opportunity to have the leading role in 'Smike', (a musical about Nicholas Nicholby and the life at Dotheboys Hall, very Dickensian!!) It was great fun and went down very well."

He remembers Mr Granville as "a cool dude!" He says, Mr Granville was "a man of the 60’s with an air of the free spirit. "I had metalwork with him but he was my year tutor at one point. He was the kind of person who treated you as an adult, would give you good advice and treat you fairly. He used to say to me, 'Remember Mark, an empty vessel makes the most noise!  It’s something I think of to this day."

Mark is a retired Military Musician and Police Officer.

I took my Music O’Level on June 28th 1982, on 29th I was in the Army as a musician. I served in The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment, The Royal Engineers and the Army Air Corps until I left in 2005. I had the pleasure of soldiering in various wars, performing music all over the world including Royalty, heads of state and the public, had tea with The Queen, shook Princess Diana‘s hand, joked with Prince Charles and grew up the military way. After leaving the Army, I taught Music in Swindon before joining the Wiltshire Police 2006. I became a detective in 2009 and was knocked off my bicycle whilst cycling home in 2015 and was retired due to injuries sustained in the RTC 2016. I still play music in a local band and enjoy the piano at home in Chippenham, Wiltshire.

Jo joined us in 1977.

Jo remembers a Geography field trip to Conwy in North Wales (but wouldn't expand on why!)

She recalls that Mr Wilson always made lessons interesting and was a very fair teacher.

Jo is now a Charity worker in North Wales.

Caroline joined Studley High in 1970.

Her memories of school include:

The school was traditional, in that boys did metalwork and woodwork and girls learnt to cook, sew and type. The girls appealed against this in 1974 but were overruled, there was a pupil strike one summer where we all ran off across the playing field, but soon ran back after Mr Harper, the headteacher, appeared!
I was part of a production of Macbeth one year, directed by Mrs Hogarth, starring Martin Homer and Hilary Berry. All the props were made in school, I had to catch Lady Macbeth when she fainted. It is still my favourite Shakespearean play to this day. I went on the YHA trip to Ross on Wye and we walked to Tintern Abbey.
There was a school disco, like a prom, each year just before we left and I remember Slade’s Merry Christmas had just been released.

She recalls the staff too:

Mrs Hogarth was scary but amazing, she was a Geordie and very dramatic. She had red hair, artfully held back in a tortoiseshell clip, a black velvet suit, red lipstick and clicking heels. She told us if she woke us in the middle of the night and asked us to quote from certain pages of “Wuthering Heights,” we should know it off by heart. Her fantastic teaching earned me two A's at English O Level and the English prize, unfortunately Maths wasn’t so impressive!
Mrs Owens was a great Art teacher. I loved the pottery room with the kiln and learning about slip glazes.
Mrs Thomas taught Music and Cookery, her background in Welsh choirs helped us to understand how to sing.
I remember Miss Turner in Geography teaching us about glaciers and Mrs Profitt in History, teaching the industrial revolution.
They were both quite trendy in tank tops and blouses with ridiculously long collars. We could always hear the girls learning to type to the William Tell overture next door and the typewriters going 'ping'. I point blank refused to learn to type or to do shorthand.
Sport was good I loved athletics and being in the relay team, training on the excellent track each summer.
We actually had teachers who really cared, which counted, as failing the 11 plus put you at a real disadvantage educationally, with a presumption you would not go to university and would follow a technical education.
A small group of us fought to take O Levels rather than CSEs in our year and were forced to study two syllabuses in case we failed the O Levels.
In total I did eight years of further education to make up for this prejudice.
So I truly thank the teachers, for their belief in us.

Caroline told us of her path after school:

After leaving school at 16, I went to college in Stratford on Avon, to study hotel management and then to the College of Food in Birmingham to enter the HCIMA as a professional manager. I then completed a management training scheme with Trust House Forte Hotels, working in Birmingham, Cardiff and York where I became a Food and Beverage Manager. I then transferred to London to work in corporate hospitality for BP in the city.

I took a break to have my two sons, and then retrained as a teacher at the Institute of Education UCL, also completing an MA in Religious Education, whilst working in two schools. 16 years ago,

I founded a small private school in central London for a charity, which has grown into a successful, well regarded school. We pride ourselves on our multicultural, diverse community, support for children with SEND and transition to both selective and state schools. We offer French, Spanish, Yoga, Art, Forest School, Music, Dance and Cookery in our curriculum. As a headteacher I am passionate about inclusion, opportunity and lifelong learning. I love my job and I have the same humorous, relaxed approach, I enjoyed from some of my teachers at Studley High School.

Shelley Preece (now Dipple) started at Studley in 1977.

Her favourite memory was the school cruise on the SS Uganda.

She remembers Mr Snell and is now an HR Assistant at YMCA.

Julie started in 1979.

She recalls two trips to France, playing hockey, "..the laughter", cookery lessons, and getting lost when she first started at school

Julie is now a Social Work Manager.

Amazingly enough after several years in the care sector, and after becoming a Mum, I went to Uni & qualified as a social worker.

Ann-Marie joined us in 1975.

She told us she enjoyed everything about school.

Her favourite teacher was Mrs Tracy, "she took the time to listen", she told us.

Ann-Marie now works in nursing, with adults who have challenging behaviour.

Andy joined us in 1979. His most memorable moment was representing Warwickshire in football  vs Leicester City and playing against Gary Lineker!

Andy remembers Mr Wilson and Mr Hyslop - "both firm but fair."

Andy is an Operations Manager at Toolstation national distribution centre, in charge of 130 colleagues.

Melanie joined us in 1979. She remembers the school disco, John Swanick always getting the cane, Mr. Wright shouting really loudly, getting reprimanded by Mr Granville for 'sneaking out at lunchtime to the chippy', coming 2nd in Miss Junior Studley High in 3rd year & riding on the carnival float.

She remembers Mr. Pickett from her days at Studley High.

She is now a Theatre Admin Clerk in a hospital. Melanie went back to college aged 30, to complete her A Level equivalent course & succeeded in Human Biology.