Green School Revisited - CAST

Since 2014 CAST has been researching the history of the school building in which it is housed. The project has focused in particular on the years 1960 to 1972, when the school served children from the Lizard peninsula. During this period it was known as the ‘Green School’ because of the green and grey uniforms worn by its pupils. The school closed in 1972, when comprehensive education came to Helston.

The first ‘Green School’ event was organised in July 2014 with an open call to former pupils to attend an evening drop-in in the building. A second gathering was held in October 2014 when former pupils were again invited to explore the building and share memories of school days. In the summer of 2015 CAST invited Kneehigh writer Anna Murphy and artist Melanie Young to lead a workshop with Year 3 children (seven and eight year-olds) from Helston’s Parc Eglos Primary School. The day culminated in a Tea Treat hosted by the children, with former pupils as their special guests.

In 2016, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Sharing Heritage scheme, CAST began a collaboration with the oral history company Azook, an organisation based in Redruth that works to connect people to their cultural heritage.

A memory day was held at CAST in July 2016 and a second gathering in St Keverne on the Lizard peninsula in August 2016, to coincide with the annual Ox Roast. Azook commissioned broadcaster David George to conduct oral history interviews with former pupils and staff and made scans of photographs, school reports and other documents connected with school life.

David George has compiled images and excerpts of audio interviews into a 50-minute film, first shown at a celebration held in the CAST building in December 2016.