On Friday 27 June, we celebrated our 475th anniversary and what an absolutely amazing day it was! Thank you to all staff, students and stakeholders for making the day so special. A special thanks to the 475 Team – Miss Doxon (School Business Manager / 475 Project Manager), Mr George Shaw, Ms Beverley Tucker, Mr Tom Spillane, Mrs Sarah Rose, Mrs Margaret Shaw, Mr Ashley Punchard, Mr Finn McGoochan, Mr Steve Draper, and Mr Christopher Last – thank you for your hard work and for making the event truly spectacular. Thank you to Ms Ambrose and the students who attend Gardening Club for the beautiful plants around the site, the school was transformed.
The students and staff were ready and welcomed all the visitors – Deputy Mayor Diane Hind, Dr Francis Young, School Governors, former members of staff, Governors of the Foundation, former students and Headteachers from both primary and secondary schools. We had guests from the Eastern Education Group, parents and other members of the local community.
Dr Francis Young delivered an inspirational lecture on “Schoolboy King: The Life and Legacy of King Edward VI.” Dr Young’s insightful presentation added tremendous value to our celebration. This has been recorded and will be uploaded to our website shortly.
A heartfelt thank you to our Vice Chair of Governors, Jane Tyers, and all School Governors who attended the celebration. Your presence and support made this occasion even more special, and we are grateful for your dedication to the school. Governors of the Foundation and Old Burians’, as usual it was a pleasure to welcome you, and we sincerely thank you for your continued support over the years.
Governors of the Foundation, we hope you liked our present to you, to show our appreciation for your continued generosity over the years.
To our F.O.K.E.S, thank you for your ongoing support. To those who could not join us on the day, your presence was missed. This included Mr. Geoff Barton, thank you for the video message we enjoyed watching it.
We were grateful for the marvellous weather that we had and the Year 7s made us proud with the 475 Formation with their pom poms. We have some fantastic footage taken by the drone and Ms de Turberville captured some amazing photographic moments of the event.
The Stakeholders Meal was a prestigious gathering and our guests joined us in honouring our rich legacy and vibrant school community.
Reverent Joe Hawes said grace before our meal. Students and staff devoured the free BBQ. This was definitely a delicious summer treat for all. The ice cream vans complemented the BBQ: a sweet addition to the day.
During lunch, the live musical performances were enjoyed by all, as everyone listened to the line-up from the student bands.
Our talented school orchestra also graced us with a special performance before the unveiling of the plaque by the Deputy Mayor Diane Hind.
Whilst everyone was enjoying the BBQ, the pressure was on at our first ever House Tennis Tournament. It was serious business; all teams were determined to win the trophy for their House. Well done to everyone who took part. A huge congratulations to Crown House on winning this trophy. This was definitely nail-biting Wimbledon tennis at its best.
The competition heated up at our inaugural Football Penalty Shoot-Out Tournament, with the pressure mounting on every player. A huge congratulations to all participants for their outstanding effort and sportsmanship. The cup was won by Lion House.
Our visitors had the pleasure of stepping back in time with our stunning collection of historical books, beautifully presented thanks to the generous support of our Foundation Governors. Special thanks to Mrs Rodriguez for her exquisite finishing touches – the display was truly a showstopper.
A sincere and heartfelt thank you to the exceptional 475 Team and every member of staff, students – current and former and visitors who contributed to the celebrations. Your dedication, hard work, and enthusiasm are deeply appreciated.
Here’s to 475 years of excellence, pride, and unwavering community spirit at King Edward VI CEVC School!
Read the article from Suffolk News here: King Edward VI School, in Bury St Edmunds, marks 475th anniversary with day of celebrations