Bishop joins in school's 50th birthday celebrations

St Osmund’s Middle School held a special assembly yesterday attended by the Bishop of Sherborne the Right Rev Dr Graham Kings.

The assembly featured singing and instrumental performances from pupils, and a talk on what pupils learned at the shrine of St Osmund upon visiting Salisbury Cathedral.

As well as giving a blessing, the Rt Rev Dr Kings also conducted a question and answer session.

The school was originally opened in September 1964 by the Bishop of Salisbury Joseph Fison, whose pastoral staff now belongs to Dr Kings.

Headteacher Jim Williams said: “The service was really in essence to recognise our Church of England status. We involved the Bishop of Sherborne and school governors. We also had a design a mug competition.”

Pupils at the school were asked to come up with a design commemorating the school’s 50th anniversary.

Year 7 pupil Izzy Harrold’s design was announced as the winner at yesterday’s assembly. Each pupil received a mug with her design to take home.

Dr Kings said: “It’s unusual to have six hundred people in an assembly. I really enjoyed the whole Christian ethos of the school at its 50th anniversary. I’m so glad some of them went to Salisbury Cathedral and saw the shrine of St Osmund.

“Congratulations especially to the headteacher, all the staff and to the pupils for celebrating in such an imaginative way.”

Prior to the assembly, the school had been asking for photos, memorabilia and other items to help bring its history to life.

They will feature as part of an open afternoon tomorrow, where old pupils, parents and teachers will be invited back to the school. Members of the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership are also invited to attend.

The plan is to divide a finished display into sections covering each of the five decades of the school.

Mr Williams, who joined the school in January, added: “It’s a humbling experience to read through the work of my predecessors in establishing a school with such a strong reputation.”