Hunslet Moor History Day

Our History display inside the main entrance of school.

Hunslet Moor pupils and staff celebrated 150 years of the school’s history with a special event.

The history day on June 16 saw a host of activities, including a time capsule burial, to mark the anniversary.

Teacher and history lead Maria Read said: “Last year, our headteacher suggested the idea to look into our school history and so was born a huge project.

"I was lucky enough to be put in contact of a large number of ex pupils, teachers and even an ex headteacher via social media and thanks to them have built a rich picture of life in a small Hunslet school over 150 years.”

On June 16, 1873 St Peter’s School opened on the Dewsbury Road, Hunslet.

The school has changed it’s name and been located on three different sites but now exists as Hunslet Moor Primary, Fairford Avenue.

Maria added: “The day started with an assembly during which I shared some of the research I have been doing into the school history and the changes we have gone through in the last 150 years.

"We looked at photos of the three different sites of our school - Dewsbury Road, Burton Ave and our modern site on Fairford Ave and also old photos of Cockburn High School, when it was on Fairford Ave.“The children then went to class and spent the morning looking at old maps and photos, and reading some memories I have collected from ex pupils and teachers and extracts from the headteacher log books that I was lucky enough to get to look through at the Leeds Archives.” Each year group was also given an event in history connected with the school to learn about.

The Time capsule ready to be covered up for 70 years.

Year 1 looked at the City of Leeds adopting the Ark Royal in 1941 and then raising money to build a new ship when she was sunk.

Year 2 looked at the Spanish Flu Epidemic (mentioned in the log book due to the effect on attendance and a teacher died) and Year 6 looked at the evacuation of children in World War 2 (Hunslet Moor children were evacuated to Caistor in Lincolnshire).Maria said the time capsule was buried in the school grounds and added: "This was something the children have been working on since the Coronation.

"We are leaving instructions for it to be opened in 70 years on 16th June 2093.

"It contains a selection of work that the children have done, including letters to future pupils telling them about life and school in 2023, reports about King Charles’ Coronation, aspirational letters.”

Photographs, the last Ofsted report, and information from the school website was also included in the time capsule after being chosen by the children.