Page 16 - Issue No. 80 Summer 2019

14 Three Generations at the College

We were fortunate to be contacted by Mrs Jarvis, who told us that three generations had attended, or were
presently attending, the College. Mr Roberts, her father was number 93 on the Admissions Ledger when he
joined the school on 28 May, 1958.
Mr Collin Roberts said, “I couldn’t believe my luck when I joined the school. There was a feeling that staff
wanted to make it a success and I really enjoyed myself.” He carried on his education at the secondary school
for another two years when he left at the age of 14 years and 11 months. “As there was nowhere to sit at lunch
time we began to make benches. When the water fountains were leaking, we repaired them.
In Year 9 I was a prefect and a member of Peverall House – it was the best! As a rewards trip for being a
prefect we walked 4 – 5 miles on the moors and went to swim in the river near Western Beacon.
We had an assembly every morning in the Performance Hall, where we also had our school dinners. Teachers
used to check your hands as you went into the Dining Hall and if they were not clean enough you had to go
and wash them again!
If you went anywhere near the Domestic Science block then it was suspected that you were up to no good,
because this was where the girls were. As a prefect we would wait for latecomers in the morning and if you
got too many lates then you were invited to the Headmaster’s surgery. This was where you then got the cane.”
In 1981, his daughter, Marie, started at the College, Admission number 5282, Marie said, “I loved it here and
made lots of friends and many are now friends for life. Both my Home Economics and Design Technology
teachers also taught my dad. I loved swimming, as there was a swimming pool on the site. The uniform was a
bottle green jumper and skirt and the boys wore blazers and ties. When I had to decide on where to send my
two sons there was no other choice to even consider, it was definitely Ivybridge Community College. This time,
Miss Jones, the Home Economics teacher has taught both myself and my two sons, and so the cycle from one
generation to the next continues.”
“This wonderful historical account shows the changes and continuity over the past 60 years and how Ivybridge
Community College continues to be still a very special place to learn and study”, Gill Taylor, Deputy Principal.

Students Past and Present

Natalie Brown, a member of staff at the College stands
beside her mum and son who are holding signs
indicating the years that they each started at Ivybridge
Community College.
Jo Hewish, English teacher and Deputy Team Leader at
Ivybridge Community College said, “I am a former
student at the College and joined in 1999. I met my
future husband, James, in 2002 in a French class (in what
is now Mr Reynold's classroom – it used to be a
Languages classroom).
We have been together for 15 years with 2 beautiful
children.

The College Echo - Summer 2019 - www.ivybridge.devon.sch.uk