The activities of pupils and staff at John Ruskin School at Coniston have been charted in numerous stories and reports over the years.

The school’s annual prizegiving event has often been featured, where hundreds of names of pupils have been printed to highlight their academic, sporting and social achievements.

In 1984, headteacher Mr Bob Jarratt promised a commitment to developing the individuality and independence of pupils.

In his speech at prizegiving he said much of the new curriculum was geared towards the encouragement of independent thought and action.

He said this was why pupils were given the opportunity to take part in school plays, why a course on problem-solving with computers had been introduced in the first year and why pupils took a spoken English element within their 16-Plus examination.

But he added that, for a balance to be maintained, self assurance also had to be coupled with pupils having a strong awareness of the needs of others.

The school had showed this awareness in its operation of a meals on wheels service, the collection of more than £450 for cancer research and a contribution to the Olympic Appeal Fund through the Round Britain Run.

He said more than a quarter of the total fifth year group gained five or more O-Level passes and other students who went on to Ulverston Victoria High School had also achieved excellent results at A-Level.

In 1993, staff and pupils celebrated the opening of £200,000 technology rooms.

These included a computer aided design facility, a motor vehicle workshop and computerised textiles room.

The rooms were officially open by Cumbria County Council’s education committee chairman Jim Oswald.

Meanwhile a regular event at the school was its spring show. In 1986, there were more than 160 entries - considered a record for the event that was then 23 years old.

Show organiser Mary Welsh said: “It was a great success. We had so many people we couldn’t move!”