Time capsule burial marks completion of new classrooms expansion project at Fulbrook School

A time capsule has been buried at Fulbrook School to mark the completion of a new teaching block and one of the final stages of an expansion project, with the headteacher declaring that “the future is now here”.

A new two-storey teaching block was officially opened on Friday (July 12) ahead of being full of students in the new academic year in September. It followed a new sports hall which was unveiled at the end of last year.

The construction project has been part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Three-to-Two-Tier Programme, to support Fulbrook School’s change from a middle school to an extended secondary school, a transition which began in 2022.

That saw Fulbrook become one of the first three-tier schools in Central Bedfordshire to make the transition to the two-tier model of education, bringing the school back to its original 1958 standing as a secondary, before it was changed to a middle school in 1973.

The new teaching block of 12 classrooms including four science labs, eight general purpose classrooms and an additional SEND facility, will help Fulbrook School accommodate the increased number of pupils that will start their secondary education journey from Year 5 while, from September, the school will have its first-ever Year 11 GCSE students.

At the time capsule burial ceremony – attended by guests from Central Bedfordshire Council, contractors Spacemaker Developments (SMD), designers Concertus, Woburn Sands Town Council, Aspley Guise Parish Council – Fulbrook students celebrated by singing a few songs, including the Amy Winehouse hit Zutons’ cover of ‘Valerie’ and ‘Be Our Guest’ from their summer show, Beauty and the Beast.

But it was the burial of a time capsule, which captured what headteacher Samantha Clancy called a “momentous occasion” for the school.

The capsule contains a document that outlines for future generations the Fulbrook School Behaviour Blueprint. It lists the school’s values and expectations of ‘aim high, work hard, be kind and make no excuses’. The school vision is that every young person will be given the opportunities to learn, experience, and achieve everything they need and want to build a fulfilled life, which underpins what is referred to as ‘The Fulbrook Way’.

The offering also contains a programme of the previous night’s performance of Beauty and the Beast, plus a school tie, photos and a speech from student Grace Glastonbury, who asks the question of future generations, “should we have a universal language?” A poignant snapshot of 2024 is captured in a letter written by Headteacher, Ms Clancy, who will celebrate 20 years on the school staff in September.

She said: “It is a pleasure to celebrate this momentous occasion in the school’s history and mark the opening of our new two-storey teaching block by burying a time capsule, which we plan to be opened in 50 years’ time. I doubt that I shall be here to witness that moment, aged 102 years old, but we shall see!

“It is an honour and privilege to be headteacher of this fabulous school and to work with some amazing adults and some absolutely superb young people. I’ve been saying for some time, ‘the future is coming; come with us’. It feels, for us, that the future is now here. I wonder what the future holds for Fulbrook over the next 50 years? I wonder who will hold and read my letter 50 years from when it was written?

“I hope that Fulbrook continues to be the very special place that it is today. The place is so much more than a set of buildings. It’s all about the people and, for that reason, it will always have a special place in my heart.”

Central Bedfordshire Council Executive Member for Children, Education and Families, Cllr Rebecca Hares, said: “We are delighted that these new classrooms will add to the new sports hall to help the school go from strength to strength and, most importantly, see young people in the area continue to get the very best education in modern brand-new spaces designed to help inspire them.

“We hope the benefits of this expansion project will be felt long into the future, but it’s fitting for the present Fulbrook School staff and pupils to capture this milestone moment and leave a legacy, through the burial of a time capsule, to tell their stories to the next generations.

“Already, Fulbrook School is one of the first middle schools in Central Bedfordshire to transition into a secondary, as part of our Three-to-Two-Tier programme and the two-year anniversary of the change will also be reached in September when pupils sit down to their first classes in their new classrooms.”

Darren Fellowes, Associate Director from Concertus, said: “Designing each phase of this project was an incredibly exciting and fulfilling experience for our team. Witnessing the joy and excitement of the children and staff as they begin to enjoy their new facilities was truly an honour. We celebrated the completion of the project with a memorable time capsule event, marking an important milestone. We take great pride in knowing that our partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council and SMD has made a meaningful contribution to the children’s future by delivering these cutting-edge facilities.”

Moomith Ullah, Director, Spacemaker Developments Ltd (SMD) said: “We are incredibly proud to have played a pivotal role in the expansion of Fulbrook School. The completion of the new two-storey teaching block marks a significant milestone in the school’s journey and underscores our commitment to delivering innovative and robust educational facilities. This project, part of Central Bedfordshire Council’s Two-to-Three-Tier programme, reflects the seamless collaboration between all stakeholders involved.

“The time capsule ceremony is a fitting tribute to this momentous occasion, symbolising a bridge between the present and future generations of Fulbrook students. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this expansion on the educational experiences of the students, who will benefit from state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities. Our heartfelt congratulations to Headteacher Samantha Clancy, the leadership team, and the entire Fulbrook community on this historic achievement.”