Jock goes back to school for centenary celebration (From Daily Echo)

Jock, 94, goes back to school for centenary celebration

5:10pm Monday 9th July 2012 in News By Jon Reeve, Education Reporter

WHEN it comes to arranging a special celebration, all the pieces matter.

For Shirley Junior and Infant schools, it was just as important who put those pieces in place to help celebrate their centenary.

As well as a series of special events to mark their 100th anniversary, the Bellemoor Road schools have created two mosaics put together by Hilary Moore through designs from the children that encapsulate school life.

The final tiles were slotted into piece by the youngest pupil, Yashan Robinson, four, and the oldest living male ex-pupil, 94-year-old Edward “Jock” Scammell.

Mr Scammell, a retired refrigeration engineer who lives in Bitterne, said: “I was so pleased to be asked. I never thought I would come back to this school again. It was nothing like this when I was here.”

As part of a project on journalism that involved Daily Echo education reporter Jon Reeve visiting Year 4 pupils, youngsters wrote their own reports on the celebrations.

Nine-year-old Yasmin Sinha won a competition for the best work, which we print here.