BEST school days EVER!

...THAT’S ONE FORMER PUPIL’S ASSESSMENT AS CITY SCHOOL IS ABOUT TO BE DEMOLISHED, BUT IT WASN’T AN OPINION THAT WAS SHARED BY EVERYONE!

TELEGRAPH readers have been sharing their memories of President Kennedy School after we published a photograph from our archives dating back to 1976.

With the school about to be demolished, readers who recognised the schoolgirls pictured have been in touch.

Jodie O’Brien said: “Loved this school. Still got lifelong friends from 91-96. Such good memories of our first year!”

Maxine Hefft wrote: “I went to President Kennedy early 70s so sad to hear it’s being demolished. I have some great memories, I used to love going to school.” Louise Plackett said: “I did some courses here after I finished school. How sad to see it’s going.” Susan Fraser wrote: “I was there 1970, shame it’s getting knocked down, we had some good times there.” Roger Gurney posted: “Must go have a last look round. Left ‘71, great days at this school.”

Mowlud Mal Meah said: “Best school days ever. Left in 1981.” Some people’s memories were a little more hazy though.”

Christopher Evans said: “I barely remember. I can reconstruct a few ‘memories’ but not much.”

“I realise how good it was in comparison to nowadays, and all without computers and interactive whiteboards.

“I wasted a potentially good education, really.”

Interestingly the schoolgirls pictured were all wearing trousers, something one reader reckons was linked to a key event at the time. Michelle Stones said: “This was I think when the school first

allowed girls to wear trousers, lots of good memories.”

One person recalled a famous protest when schoolchildren went on strike – an event that made it on to the local TV news at the time.

Gail McClelland wrote: “When the school first opened we were transferred from Whitemoor Secondary School. JFK was still under construction and was all muddy.

“I decided to bring the school out on strike and we all marched to town to protest to the education department.

“We actually made the ATV local TV news. They thought we were copying an episode of Crossroads.

“My claim to fame. Lol. I’m now 65!” Not everyone had purely fond memories of President Kennedy School though. Julia Anna Darnell wrote: “1982-1987 some good some bad memories from here.” One neighbour also revealed his disappointment at the school being built in the first place.” Kelvin Watts, who now lives in

Sydney, Australia, said: “When I was a kid growing up, I was born in Gospel Oak Road.

“In the late 50s & early 60s before the school was built we used to play football in the fields where the school was built.

“When the signs went up and they fenced off the fields this was the worst thing for the kids who lived around this area. We had nowhere to play apart from cycling down to Foleshill Park.

“The fields were also a cut through to Watery Lane to get to Keresley.

“I still have fond memories of my time playing football in these fields but I hated the school being built.”