Leighton Buzzard special school marks milestone 50th anniversary
A Leighton Buzzard special school celebrated its 50th anniversary with a birthday bash and the unveiling of a commemorative plague.
Oak Bank School marked the occasion on Thursday (October 15) by welcoming pupils, staff and governors past and present, including special guest Richard White – one of the school's original teachers when it opened in 1976.
He taught maths at the school until retiring 10 years ago and still remembers helping the first pupils settle into the new Sandy Lane building.
Headteacher Phil Collier reflected on a 1970s newspaper advertisement recruiting the school's first headteacher, with the school having places for 40 boarders and 20 day pupils.
From those beginnings, Oak Bank has grown into a thriving school of 120 young people, including a sixth form, supporting pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.
The school has continued to develop its facilities and services over the years, with a major expansion in 2018 adding a climbing wall, dance studio and fitness suite, and from 2021 to 2024 supporting schools across the country as a Department for Education Lead Behaviour School.
The reunion also celebrated 25 members of staff who have each dedicated more than 10 years of service to the school.
Oak Bank has been rated Outstanding since 2015 and continues to achieve strong outcomes for pupils. All of its students who left the school in Year 11 during summer 2026 moved on to employment, further education or training.
Headteacher Phil Collier said: “Fifty years of Oak Bank is a story about people, and about remarkable improvement: from a residential school in 1976 to three Outstanding inspection judgements in the past decade. Behind those milestones are generations of staff, trustees and members who have kept showing up for young people with social, emotional and mental health needs. Of the 73 staff who have served between seven and 40 years, 43 are still with us today – a testament to an Oak Bank Family culture that embraces our families, external providers and linked professionals and charities.”
Alex Mayer MP, who unveiled the plaque, added: “From little acorns, mighty oaks grow. Oak Bank has come a long way over the last 50 years and continues to change lives. Here's to the next 50 years of branching out and reaching even greater heights.”
Sarah Drake Hammond, who has worked at Oak Bank for 20 years, said: “I have seen a lot of changes over the years, with staff and students coming and going. But at its heart Oak Bank is still the same. It's an extended family of people who want to make a difference.”
Hayley Blount, safeguarding lead, said: “No two days at Oak Bank are ever the same. Being part of the school feels like being part of a family. It can be fun, challenging, heartbreaking and incredibly rewarding, sometimes all in the same day.”
Looking to the future, Oak Bank will begin supporting other schools to help staff identify pupils’ needs earlier and put the right support in place more quickly, as part of government plans to transform support for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.