Stowupland High School
According to a local resident the High School was built on what had previously been Orchards.
The first term started in September 1978 with Head master Michael Creese. Initially there were 410 places.
When the Stowupland High School first opened Suffolk had a three-tier school system. For Stowupland children this meant they attended our primary school up to the age of 9, then Bacton Middle School to the age of 13 before returning to Stowupland to attend the High School. (Thanks to Judy Clarke, WI notes)
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In Dec 1975, 60 Stowupland residents gathered to hear proposals for the building of a High School in the village, on land behind the Crown. It was anticipated that the school would eventually cater for 1,100 pupils.
Members of the public were concerned about access to the site, even then ‘the A1120 was described as a very dangerous road, with fast moving traffic.’
Work on the first phase commenced in October 1976. Having completed the first phase in 1978 the plan was to complete a 2nd phase that would open in 1979. Three birch trees were planted to commemorate the opening and the enrollment of the first intake of 280 pupils. The children came from Haughley, Bacton, Old Newton and Mendlesham and was intended to allow these children to be part of the ‘comprehensive education system’. there wer 17 full time members of staff and 4 part time.
According to information in Ena Carter’s archive at the time of building it was estimated that when completed ‘the school would have cost £1.100,000. However other buildings have been erected in the 21st century.
In 2006 pupils at the High School had an Environmental Group.
