'Marvel'-lous memories

Andrew Marvell school in east Hull hasn't changed for decades but now it's about to be transformed

Photography by Thomas Arran, Hull College

They say your school has a big influence on your life - and that's certainly true for mother-of-two Karen Potter.
Not only did she meet her husband Graham while they were pupils at Andrew Marvell, but now she works there as a teaching assistant, and one of her sons is currently in year 10.
So when the school building is demolished under the government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, Karen will experience a range of feelings to say the least.
"I must admit I have such brilliant memories of being a pupil at Andrew Marvell - of meeting all my friends and of the teachers," says Karen (47), of Bilton,
"When I came back to work here four years ago I couldn't believe how little it had changed, and one of the teachers from my day – Miss Heap – was still here! I still felt like calling her 'miss!'
"It's such a shame to see the school go, but at the same time it's nice to have something new for the pupils in the area."
Karen, who arrived at the school in 1977 from Alderman Cogan Junior High, met her husband when they were both aged 13.
She said: "We were friends at first but we started going out properly when we were 16.
"Both his brothers went to Marvell and now our son comes here, so you could say the school is in our blood!"
Karen left the school in 1981 with nine O' Levels and went on to Hull College where she did A' levels and a degree in primary school teaching.

An artist's impression of how the new Andrew Marvell school will look

Out with the old, in with the new

Andrew Marvell Business and Enterprise College, on Barham Road, is one of a number of secondary and special schools across the city which is being demolished and completely rebuilt under the £400 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Construction work will begin in May on a new school building which is expected to be completed by January 2013.
Meanwhile pupils will remain in the current building which will be separated from the construction site by a temporary high wooden fence.
"The school currently has significant levels of community use and the new building will promote this further," says BSF project director David Martin.
"It has been designed to actively encourage wider participation and community use through facilities such as theatre space and drama and dance studios as well as fitness suites, a sports hall and a floodlit all-weather pitch."
The site will also include one of Hull City Council's customer service centres where the public will be able to access more than 130 council services.

Claim your certificates

But before the current school building is finally demolished, Andrew Marvell staff would like to trace the owners of some of the 5,000 unclaimed exam certificates.
"We have some for every year dating back to 1976 which haven't been collected for whatever reason," says assistant head teacher Simon Abbotts.
"There are some grades A and B at O' level among them so there are some fairly well qualified people out there without their certificates.
"The school is at the heart of a very close-knit community and some of our pupils have parents and grandparents who came here, so the BSF work is sure to be talked about and viewed with great interest.
"Already some trees have been cleared near the new site, and we expect to see the diggers arriving in May."

Schools of the future

Meanwhile, construction continues at a rapid pace at the first schools to be completely rebuilt under BSF.
All set to open this September are the new Archbishop Sentamu Academy, the new Winifred Holtby Technology College and Tweendykes Special School, and the new Sirius Academy co-located with Ganton Special School.
Work will also begin in April on the new Academy on the Princess Elizabeth Playing Fields site, off Hall Road, Orchard Park.
Work is due to start in May on the complete rebuilding of Kingswood College of Arts on Wawne Road, Bransholme and on rebuilding of Oakfield Special School on the existing Archbishop Sentamu Academy site, on Hopewell Road.
Planning consent has also been given for the complete rebuilding of Endike Primary School, on Endike Lane which is also due to begin in May along with the remodelling of Malet Lambert Language College on James Reckitt Avenue.

Info If you would like to check if Andrew Marvell still has your exam certificates please email askus@andrewmarvell.hull.sch.uk For more information about BSF visit www.buildingourfuture.co.uk or call 300 300.