Matthew Rooney

“At Saddleworth Prep I remember my first day in Reception, when we all met each other. I remember that day that my sister helped me learn about school and introducing me to some of her friends. For a lot of the time I was there my best friend was Simon Hardy.”

“My favourite time at the school was in Mrs Hirst reading class and that helped me on passing the exam for Hulme Court.”

“Each year they had school shows which everyone in the school took part in. There were also talent shows, Christmas parties and we had our very own leavers party for Class 3.”

“In Class 2 I started to learn how to play the keyboard and now I have many Musical Achievements like Grade 2 on my Trombone and being able to play recorders.”

“The most enjoyable time for all of the students was playtime where we had could go on the big field which had a climbing frame, safe trees to climb, guinea pigs to stroke and hold and the horses that lived next door to feed.”

“There were many extras that students can join in with at Saddleworth Prep like French class with Yvonne and Trumpet classes in the church hall. When we did P.E we walked on the ‘Magic Path’ that was cobbled stones going from the back gate to the church door. There used to be some trees there, but now there is a building site that we sat on and sketched pictures of the church.”

“As a school Saddleworth prep are very good with the destinations of school trips, planning shows and parties and the care of pupils.”

“One of the trips I went on was to Townley Hall where we learnt all about old time life (washing and cooking….) we also looked at the garden and the different ways they grow plants, trees and flowers. One of the closer trips was to the old vicarage and farm on platting road, which was very interesting and we also looked up the church steeple, which was very scary.”

“In the reception the playhouse was the best because we made it into a space rocket, a bus and a cottage.”

“When I was here we had a lot of pets, the centipede, 2 guinea pigs and a rabbit.”

“In assembly we sung a song with Mrs Hirst playing her guitar and Mr Owen playing the piano, and once I played Kum Ba Yar with the school singing along.”

“Once we had a visitor who was a bike-riding champion who used to be educated at Saddleworth Prep and I got my picture took with him.”

“I loved my time at the school and I would recommend it to anyone."

By Matthew Rooney aged 18

Jacqueline Bett

“I have many happy memories of my years at Saddleworth Prep”.

 “I remember my first day at school with my mum taking pictures of me in my uniform before I went. In Class 1 Abigail taught me to read, and we all loved reading Roger Red Hat and Jenny Yellow Hat books and working through the workbooks.

“I remember having Elocution lessons with Mr. Soni, and still remember some of the poems he taught me. Every week we would go to Class 2 for assembly and Mrs Hirst would play the guitar.

“I also enjoyed doing drama in the church and playing in the fields at lunchtime, its amazing how seventeen years later I can remember so many happy memories of being at Saddleworth Prep, and I am still in contact with a few of the pupils today”

“Through the teachers enjoyment I became a confident pupil who enjoyed learning, which gave me a great start to my education”

By Jacqueline Bett aged 20

Charlotte R Ashton

Some of the most amazing memories of my childhood are from the time I spent at Saddleworth. I can remember being so excited to go in every morning so I could read The Village with Three Corners to Abigail and do all the exercises in the Numberland books. And of course all the science experiments we were allowed to do. Break time and lunch times on what felt like the most enormous field were always so much fun.

One memory that seems to stick out was one Halloween when we had a party in class one, and we made pumpkin soup and made costumes, and I felt really grown up because I was helping to look after some of the younger children. We sang songs with Mrs Hirst on the guitar and Mrs Wallace on the keyboard, and played all sorts of games.

I was also taught by Mr Soni in Drama and Elocution. I had so much fun taking part in the school plays and productions, the poetry and the dancing. I loved how the school not only concentrated on academia but also arts and music. They really contribute to the crucial social skills children need to develop at a young age.

One of my favourite times of the school was in the summer time when we had the summer fair, and we made boxes for the harvest festival and danced around the May pole. It was really exciting to know you were going into the next class and we were all so encouraged by the teachers to excel.

I think I was part of one of the very first classes at Saddleworth back in 1990, and it's incredible to go back and see how much the school has developed with time. I still have contact with some of the people who were in my class and all of them have been so successful, no doubt to having such a good start in their education.

Charlotte aged 21