A five-year-old has become the fourth generation of his family to start at the village school – a tradition dating back over 100 YEARS.
Five-year-old Sam Phillips is now using the same playground as great-grandmother Doris Smith did at Whiteshill Primary School in the 1900s.
Doris started there with six brothers and sister and her son Rick Pellat, 72, later joined the Cotswold school with siblings Malcolm, Neville, Anita and Wendy.
Former policeman Rick’s daughters Debbie, 45, Jeanette, 42, and Sam’s mum Charlene, 34, followed in his footsteps.
Alongside dozens of great-cousins and other extended family members, it puts the grand total attending the Stroud school at around 45.
Rick, who now volunteers at the school every Friday to lead nature lessons, said: “It is lovely having a connection to the school.
“I went to Whiteshill with many of my cousins which was lovely.
“I had lots of siblings and all of them had children who went to the school – maybe three or four – and many of them went to the school.
“I used to visit there when I was in the police force to give talks, and not I go there as a volunteer.
“I was brought up in Whiteshill in a house opposte The Star Inn, and now I live opposite the school.
“My sister still lives in the house I grew up in.”
Whiteshill Primary school has been serving the village since 1712, the current main school building was built in 1887, and currently has around 90 pupils.
Rick’s daughter Debbie’s three sons also went to the school, and Charlene’s youngest son Jake, one, will also be following the family tradition.
Charlene said that it was the natural choice for him to attend the school.
“For me it was lovely going there as a child,” said Charlene.
“Sam went to Whiteshill Playgroup and my mum and dad live next to the school so it seemed perfect for him to go there. He loves it, His teacher, Miss Boor is fantastic.
“And it’s lovely the way they involve the older children with the little ones. It’s a small school and everyone knows everyone.”
Cathy Angove, business manager at Whiteshill School, said it was proud of its local connections.
She added: “It is a small rural school and very much a community school.
“We like to encourage where possible, the whole family to be involved at the school, not only mums and dads but grandparent, aunts and uncles too.
“It is wonderful that there has been such a long family connection to the school.”
