FAIRFAX ACADEMY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: Fairfax Academy is hoping to find former students who appeared in a newspaper article about the school – 43 years ago.
The article, which was featured in the now-defunct Sutton Coldfield News in 1980, celebrated the school’s 21st birthday.
Fairfax opened in 1959, as Sutton Coldfield’s first co-educational school, and celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2019 with a grand reunion of students and staff.
Now Principal Sean Castle would like to track down the students featured in the Sutton News article, to show them around today’s 21st Century Fairfax.
“Since I took over as Principal I’ve been hugely impressed by the extra-curricular activities at Fairfax, and the remarkable school spirit that they generate.
Mr Castle said: “The article from 1980 was fascinating, because it actually showed how the wide range of opportunities offered to students hasn’t changed at Fairfax since it was published.
“And it seems that was the case back in 1980 too, because the article talks about the annual Eisteddfod, which is still going strong, and the Duke of Edinburgh scheme which was a huge part of school life, and lots of other activities and afterschool clubs.
“Most of all, the article showed that 43 years ago Fairfax was dedicated to both academic excellence and helping students develop the kind of personal skills and values that they’ll need throughout their lives – and that’s an equally intrinsic part of what we do today.”
Former students featured in the Fairfax Academy newspaper article from 1980 article are Head Girl Jill Cross, Heather Pilkington, Richard Tilbrook, Philip Petch, Mark Radley, Ian Bailey and Sarah Swingler.
Mr Castle added: “It would be great to track down these former pupils now and invite them in to have a cup of tea, show them around the school, and hear directly from them what it was like at Fairfax.
“I think they would recognise that the things that have always made Fairfax special are still a big part of life here.”
If you are one of the former students, and would like to get in touch, email r.boyce@fairfax.fmat.co.uk