Events
ADCOTE CELEBRATES SCHOOL'S CENTENARY
Adcote recently held a Thanksgiving Service to commemorate 100 years since its founder, Mrs Amy Gough, first started the school on 18th January 1907.
Despite the atrocious weather conditions a large number of Old Girls, previous members of staff and governors joined current teachers, pupils and their families to celebrate the school's centenary. Amongst the other guests who had braved gale force winds, floods and blocked roads to attend the event were the Mayor of Shrewsbury & Atcham, Councillor Roger Evans accompanied by the Mayoress and the High Sheriff of Shrewsbury, Richard Tanner and his wife Marion, all pictured with the current headmistress, Debbie Hammond.
Due to a power cut in the area, the candlelit service, conducted by the School Chaplain, the Reverend Les Foster, in Adcote's magnificent Great Hall seemed all the more authentic as the audience learned about the history of the school from its early Edwardian beginnings. The photograph below shows Mrs Amy Gough with her pupils and staff in 1912.
Adcote's current Head, Debbie Hammond, read a letter from Doris Gough dated 5th June 1948 in which she described how her mother started the school in January 1907 with five boarders and two day pupils. By 1947 with a total of 125 pupils the school was at full capacity "with waiting lists up to 1951 and numbers being refused each week". Doris ' letter ended with a tribute which was echoed by other speakers during the service "All this was entirely due to the courage, personality, vision, faith and wisdom of one woman, my mother."
The Reverend Audrey Martin-Doyle, said how honoured she was to have been asked to speak as a 'very Old Girl' and reminisced about her first meeting with Mrs Amy Gough at the age of 11 recalling her as being small and stocky but with great presence. Audrey's tribute continued by confirming Doris Gough's determination to succeed in continuing to fulfil her mother's vision for the school - as have all the head teachers who have followed, taking Adcote pupils forward to the present day by 'teaching them how to live'.
At the end of the service Debbie Hammond thanked everyone for coming to pay this very special and poignant tribute to the ladies who founded the school and provided the basis upon which Adcote continues to flourish to this day. She then invited the Mayor of Shrewsbury & Atcham and Mrs. Margaret Pinnell, President of Adcote Old Girls' Association to officially begin the School's Centenary celebrations by cutting the cake. Guests were then invited to go to the Small Hall where refreshments were waiting and a welcomingly warm log fire had been lit.
Adcote's Centenary Day is the first of a year of events marking the school's 100 years beginning with Centenary Shows featuring all the girls in a musical celebration on Thursday 22nd -Saturday 24th March. The school's Speech Day on 11th May will be followed on 12th May by a special Centenary Ball and a Grand Orchestral Concert with the Shropshire Sinfonia conducted by John Moore, a firework display and laser show is being held on Saturday 16th June.
Adcote is one of the top non-selective schools of its size in the country with an impressive record of achievements in both academic and extra-curricular activities. The school recognises the importance of encouraging pupils to exceed their expectations and achieve their full potential by providing girls aged 4-18 years with a happy, safe and caring environment in which to learn. Small class sizes and individual attention ensure girls receive an education for life in the twenty-first century.
For further information about any of the Centenary events or to find out more about Adcote please contact the School Secretary on 01939 260202.