The Western News will feature a story this week about how we are preserving the red bricks on our original long blocks, and a teacher who worked in them in the school's early days who has a current connection to the school.

The story is as follows. You can see it in the combined Star/Western News from Thursday.

Diane Carson taught at Oaklands School in its early years and worked in the long red ‘Canterbury’ brick classrooms that housed most of its pupils. More than 50 years later, Mrs Carson’s granddaughters Emma and Esther Vincent (8) attend the school and the two original brick blocks are being completely overhauled for a new generation of learners.

Mrs Carson, who was known as Mrs Jellyman during her time at the school, said it was lovely to see some of the school’s history retained in the form of the red bricks.

“I have photos of the staff outside the brick block classrooms and have good memories of teaching there. I started in 1966, which is the year the school opened, and worked there for five years. During that time there were about 700 students at the school. We had classes with 37, 38, 39 children in them, each at their own desk. There were a lot of children because a lot of people were moving to the area.”

The brick Canterbury blocks are being refurbished as part of the school’s $5-million-plus redevelopment.

Principal Margaret Trotter said refurbishment of the two Canterbury brick blocks was the last major construction project of the school’s redevelopment.

The red bricks would be retained but the rest of the building would be modern, she said. The construction of three new buildings – to house the administration, a library and flexible learning space, and an extended junior school - finished last year.

“It will be exciting to finish the last big piece of the redevelopment puzzle and enjoy the finished product. We have been very lucky that our redevelopment has run to schedule and look forward to celebrating the milestone when it is all complete.”