Twenty-eight years after he left, Olympian Jamie Baulch returns to Risca Comprehensive to mark special 40th anniversary

Risca Community Comprehensive - which was officially opened by the Queen on Friday, June 24, 1977 - welcomed guests such as the school’s first headteacher Derek McKie and Jamie Baulch, Olympic silver medalist and former pupil of the school.

Pupils enjoyed a special day as well, with their first two lessons of the day being linked to the 1970s which included learning about the fashion and music of the time.

After the break, there were bouncy castles, a mechanical bull and a coconut shy for them to enjoy, among others.

Head teacher John Kendall said he thought the day had gone “really well”, especially because it had been a different day for the pupils.

In his speech, Mr Kendall said: “Forty years is no great age for a person- nor for a school if truth be told. But it’s right we should celebrate this milestone in our community.

“Like many 40-year-olds, we’ve had our ups and downs, good days and bad.

“I feel confident that we are entering a very strong period of our history, with our results improving and our numbers rising.”

The head teacher thanked many people in his speech, including the pupils - “without whom we are nothing, and with whom we are something very special,” he said.

Mr Baulch was at the school to unveil a time capsule, which will be buried at a later day and will include items such as the four ties currently worn by pupils, news articles about the school and photographs.

It will also include the winning essay from their 2017 competition, with children submitting stories on the subject of ‘a day in the life of a pupil in 2077’ - which is when the capsule will be unearthed.

The athlete said he has “many fond memories” of the school and that he believes he ended up becoming a professional athlete because of his PE teacher.

He said: “It is when you are 14 or 15 that you can go one way or another and I am very grateful for their support.

“I had some of the best moments of my life in this school.”

Mr Baulch said the school hasn’t changed much from when he was a student in the late 1980s.

“It has been amazing to come back,” he said. “I can’t believe it is exactly the same, the only thing that has changed is the wall colouring.”

Mr McKie, the first head teacher of the school, agreed with Mr Baulch that it had been “very nice” to be part of the school’s celebration.

He said: “The atmosphere in the school has not changed that much.”