School celebrates 90th anniversary

CROMPTON House School pupils Tom Rigg and Beth Martin-Nixon dressed in old-style school uniforms

TWO pupils stepped back in time to help Crompton House School celebrate its 90th anniversary.

Tom Rigg and Beth Martin-Nixon, both 12, swapped their regular uniforms for the types of clothes the first pupils would have worn.

So it was a smock dress and blouse for Beth and woollen blazer, knitted tie, jumper, shorts and long socks for Tim.

The pair then visited lessons to have commemorative photographs taken with each class.

Crompton House was founded by sisters Mary Crompton and Anne Ormerod, and head teacher Karl Newell explained: "They gave the Crompton family house and £20,000 ­- more than £1 million in today's money ­- to the Manchester Diocese to set up a school in High Crompton.

"They wanted a school to provide a high level of religious education in the Shaw and High Crompton area.

"The school grew from a first class of 25 pupils to our current figure of over 1,300 pupils."

Two founders' day services were held to mark the anniversary at Oldham Parish Church, on Friday.

They were led by the bishop of Middleton, the Right Reverend Mark Davies, and Canon Maurice Smith, director of the Manchester Diocesan Board of Education, gave an address.

Pupils and staff also received a metal pin badge to commemorate the event and a special school photograph is being taken.

Pupils who started in September also recreated a photograph of the school's first ever form while primary school children who attended Crompton House's open day created a large finger painting of the original house, which dates from 1710 and is now the school's main entrance.

Mr Newell added: "Crompton House is a school with a great past, and an exciting future.

"Founders' day reminded us why the Crompton family founded the school, and how generous they were with the building," added Mr Newell.

"We thank the family for their generosity and forethought in establishing a Church of England school and our core values of 'Loving God, caring for each other, and achieving excellence' uphold the spirit of 1926."