Old pupils return to school before bulldozers move in

Year eight pupils at Kelvin Hall buried a time capsule in the grounds yesterday to commemorate life at the school this year, two months before it reopens on the same site in a futuristic £27.5m building being constructed under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

And on Saturday March 3, from noon to 3pm, former pupils will travel from across the country to attend a reunion in the old building, which opened in 1959, before it is demolished.

Some have asked if they can prise away mementoes from the building, but as it will still be used for several weeks before the move the school is instead preparing to offer them other souvenirs and will have a photographer on standby to record the occasion.

Retired craft teacher Geoff Gooding, who taught at Kelvin from 1960 to 1997 and is helping to organise the gathering, said: “I’ve had ex-pupils saying ‘I’ve got to have a piece of that hallowed floor from the hall’, or ‘I want the second tap from the first wash basin in the changing rooms’.

“But there’s a great interest in it and people will be coming from as far as London.”

The time capsule contains pieces of uniform, dinner cards, school planners and photographs and will be dug up by another generation in 50 years.

One of the most striking features of the new school will be its “Hellerup” stair area, a large open space that will also serve a casual social area for students. There will also be art and science terraces on the roof.