Perryfields Academy: The search for Cooke and Chedd '97
Perryfields Academy in Oldbury is launching a search to track down two former students who left their mark on the school in a very visible way.
With 2025 hopefully being the year when work starts on a complete rebuild and the school want to get together as many ex-students and staff as possible to share in this historic year.
With some buildings dating back over half a century there are stories they'd like to tell to produce a lasting record for the community of what was there before, as they look towards a new facility fit for the future.
Headteacher Mrs Clare Harris says one pair of former students in particular have caught the interest of staff: “The whole process of preparing for a rebuild has been pretty hectic, yet exciting as we get everything into place. We’ve also started to think about how we recognise and honour the immense history of these buildings and the many thousands of children who have passed through.
"As part of our documentation works already undertaken, we have discovered some 28 year old graffiti underneath the stage in the hall which has got staff talking, specifically ‘Cooke & Chedd 97’! Some of our teachers have been here a long time and others were former pupils, now staff, and yet no one seems to know who they were.
"It’s become a bit of a mystery around the school! Some think they might have been best friends trying to hide away from lessons, others prefer the more romantic notion of young love that may have lasted into a relationship outside of school. They may even have gone on to have children who have attended Perryfields themselves.”
The school are now launching a search for Cooke & Chedd to find answers, but also to appeal to all former students and staff to get in touch and be a part of the rebuild celebrations.
“We’d love to see old photos of life at Perryfields, possibly even going back to the Brandhall Secondary days. Does anyone still have their old books or uniform packed away in a loft or attic somewhere that we could document and form part of a time capsule?
"These are really exciting times for us, joining Broadleaf Partnership Trust and securing the funding to revitalise our site has given us a huge boost knowing we’ll be creating something lasting for our community, and we want as many people in our community to share in that journey with us.”
Anyone who knows Cooke and Chedd, or any former pupils are encouraged to contact admin@perrys.org.uk
