Four generations of Margaret Sarre’s family have studied at St. Andrew’s School. She even went through school in the same class as her husband. Her 3 children were pupils as were her siblings, her mother, aunt, uncles and even her grandmother.
Margaret now aged 69 is still living in the community she grew up in. To her, St. Andrew’s Primary School is not just part of a thriving community it’s part of her family history and she has many memories of her teachers and friends.
The School has ledgers dating back to the end of the nineteenth century and covers significant events such as the Occupation and even touches on Women’s rights!
Margaret can recall many events documented in the school ledgers. She still has the mug she was presented with at school as a memento of the Queen’s coronation in 1953, an event recorded in the ledgers.
Margaret has many tales to tell of the parish, the school and her family and friends. “I remember when my children were at school, they held a fundraiser where their parents had to run up the hill path by the school as fast as they could and timed them all. A few days later my son brought me home a prize for being the fastest.”
She still has a cup she was presented with in assembly for being the first girl home in a cross-country race. Again, another event she can vividly recall, including how her rival came not to race that day.
Margaret is clearly distressed by the thought of losing the school. In her own words, “we’ve lost our shop, our Post Office, the Church Hall, the Methodist Chapel. There’s very little left in St. Andrew’s and it’s what makes Guernsey special – these small communities. If we lose the school, what will we have left?”