The following article appeared in the “Woking News and Mail” on 16^th July 1970

SWAN SONG FOR MR. RODER

The headmaster, Mr. Bernard Roder, speaking during West Byfleet County Secondary School’s annual prize-giving last week, expressed his pleasure at the school’s academic record this year.

He thanked the staff for their loyalty and co-operation during his time as headmaster. He leaves at the end of this term to take up a new appointment as Headmaster of the Winston Churchill School, Woking.

On academic subjects alone the pupils had achieved a 64 percent pass rate in C.S.E and G.C.E “O” levels. If non-academic subjects such as needlework and woodwork were included, the pass rate rose to 70 per cent. He added that in one respect they had done better this year than last, ion that 16 of the passes were grade One – the equivalent of what used to be a distinction.

Mr. Roder spoke about the Paris exchange and said that a number of French boys and girls were present at the school taking part in all school activities.

A highly successful careers exhibition had been available on a wide variety of careers for school leavers. In addition parents’ evenings had been held when parents were able to discuss their child’s progress with members of the staff.

A large amount of money had been raised during the year, said Mr. Roder, and this had been used to provide Christmas parcels for old people. Recently £400 had been raised by a sponsored walk.

Elizabeth Collins recited the poem which had made her the winner of the poetry contest, and another pupil, Neil Hardy, gave an account of the endurance walk in which several of the pupils and staff walked 100 miles in a weekend. Most of the money raised by the walk was given towards work for the mentally handicapped. However, £10 was presented to Mrs. Margaret Marshal, chairman of Woking Urban Council, by Susan Stocklosa. This will go towards a project initiated by Mrs. Marshall to provide a “sunshine” coach to take old people to the coast.

Mrs. Marshall, who lives in West Byfleet, presented certificates to successful pupils.

G.C.E., C.S.E. Pitman and R.S.A. certificates were presented to:

Marilyn Baker	Sally Flitter	Maria Short
Janet Blackwell	Elizabeth Floody	Susan Stephens
Linda Blake	Susan Frankson	Jacqueline Stockden
Linda Benham	Angela Jones	Deborah Stone
Stephanie Boutwood	Bridget Kennedy	Beverly Tapsell
Pamela Buddery	Angela Lambert	Janice Turner
Beverley Carter	Janice Mumford	Victoria Turner
Sarah Christian	Janet Pead	Mary Walker
Margaret Cranham	Susan Pritchard	Margaret Wannell
Penelope Earle	Jane Roberts	Hilary White
Georgina Evans-Gordon	Jeanette Roberts	Sheila White
Margaret Farley	Glenda Robertson	Jane Witney
Margaret Feather	Barbara Roscoe	Carol Young

Martin Adams	Charles Fleckney	Nigel Norton
William Atkinson	Jeremy Fuller	Michael Pateman
David Austin	David Gash	Bernard Pink
John Austin	Richard Gash	Christopher Roberts
Robert Barker	Kevin Girley	Ian Seager
Christopher Benwell	Michael Govier	Anthony Simmonds
Charles Blackshaw	Richard Golding	Brian Smith
John Brindley	Howard Haddrell	Roland Raffell
Michael Carande	Neil Hardy	Leslie Wales
Peter Christie	Charles Harris	Nigel Weedon
Stephen Cornish	Peter Hawkins	Jack Wheeler
Martin Cutler	David Johnson	Keith White
Christopher Davies	Stuart Letts	Richard Whitehill
Peter Davies	Barry Lloyd-Jones	Andrew Wood
Simon Digby-Worsley	David Nicholls