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Pupils from St John Fisher RC Comprehensive bury time capsule at new campus in Rochester

15:26, 17 February 2022

updated: 15:27, 17 February 2022

Pupils looking forward to moving to a brand new school have buried a time capsule to remember the past.

Medway's only catholic secondary school, St John Fisher RC Comprehensive, is relocating to a site off City Way, Rochester, next year.

Pupils Telvin Owusu, Owen Li, Tadeusz Wisniewki and Ventsi Lyubomirov with time capsule
Pupils Telvin Owusu, Owen Li, Tadeusz Wisniewki and Ventsi Lyubomirov with time capsule

It means its two outdated lower and high schools in Chatham will soon be under one roof with improved facilities.

Students hand-picked mementoes for the capsule, including pictures old and new of the current sites, school uniform a copy of the Medway Messenger and a crucifix.

Head teacher Dympna Lennon said: "Our school has a proud heritage of educating children for almost 60 years.

"While I am as excited as our students to be moving to purpose-built facilities, this ceremony was an important opportunity to celebrate the history of the St John Fisher family and remember the many thousands of students educated on both site."

Cllr Josie Iles, who is in charge of children's services, said: "A time capsule is a fantastic way to honour the school's history and celebrate its future.

"The new school building will enable the school to come together as one and improve the learning environment for pupils.

St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School, Ordnance Street, Chatham
St John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School, Ordnance Street, Chatham

Students are currently based at two sites in Maidstone Road and Ordnance Street which have proved too costly to maintain.

The developers overseeing the project, Wates Construction Ltd, are paying £15,000 towards highway improvement.

The original plans would have seen the secondary school located on the west of the recreation ground, but concerns raised by Historic England said it would negatively impact on views of neighbouring Fort Pitt.

Sports England also objected to the loss of the playing sports fields.

The new campus will have enough to meet the needs of 900 pupils and 285 sixth-formers.

An impression of what the chapel at St John Fisher RC Comprensive will look like
An impression of what the chapel at St John Fisher RC Comprensive will look like
Former pupil James Jordan
Former pupil James Jordan

Plans include sports grounds, including an all-weather pitch, state-of-the-art computer suites, drama studio and impressive chapel with stained glass surround.

The school was founded in 1964 and has about 1,085 pupils, aged between 11 to 18 on its roll.

It attracts Catholic children from Sheppey and Sittingbourne as well as Medway.

Among its former students are ballroom dancer and television presenter, James Jordan, and retired footballer, Jimmy Corbett who played for Gillingham, Blackburn Rovers, Portsmouth and Southend United.

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