All former pupils and staff of the school are members of the Old Kirkhamians Association, which not only organises social events and reunions, but also raises and spends funds on projects which enhance and preserve the heritage of the school and provides bursary funds for current pupils.
Although all alumni and former employees are automatically granted the status of Old Kirkhamian with no cost, former pupils are welcome and encouraged to take up fee-paying membership of the Association (£15.49 pa). This brings the benefit of a copy of the annual Kirkhamian publication, as well as postal notification of other events such as the Annual OKA Dinner. A form for paid membership is available to download at the bottom of this page.
A diverse community
Old Kirkhamians are a diverse community, with alumni of all ages found all over the world in a remarkable variety of walks of life. Common to all of them is that they have not simply followed the school motto 'Ingredere Ut Proficias' by making the most of the opportunities given to them by the school, but more significantly that they have profited society by making the most of their talents.
Successful Kirkhamians are to be found in all the traditional professions such as Law, Medicine, Engineering and Business, but are also to be found in areas as diverse as the media, journalism, catering, professional sport, the theatre, the clergy, the armed forces, and archaeology. They are particularly well represented in teaching, with hundreds of Old Kirkhamians in every sector of primary, secondary, and higher education, both in the UK and around the world. This is no coincidence: those who enjoy school are likely to enjoy teaching others, and Kirkhamians of all ages profess great enjoyment of their schooldays.
The history of the OKA
The Old Kirkhamians’ Association was founded in 1921 by the legendary Headmaster Rev’d Cresswell Strange and has existed ever since as a way of bringing together those whose formative years have been guided by the school. Like many alumni associations, its creation was heavily influenced by the heavy loss of life among former pupils experienced in the First World War, and Cresswell Strange was a leading figure in efforts to ensure that both the Grammar School and the town of Kirkham honoured its war dead with something of lasting value; he also chaired the civic group which oversaw the establishment of the War Memorial Gardens and Cenotaph in parkland immediately to the North of Kirkham town centre.
Revive and restore
In modern times, the OKA acts as a focus and facilitator for the alumni network, as well as supporting the school in practical ways and ensuring that the school's ethos is cherished and maintained alongside all that must change and develop in a school. The Association provides financial support for smaller-scale projects and enhancements to the fabric of the school campus, but only in cases where such work demonstrably enhances heritage and tradition. Recent examples include the restoration of the 100-year-old cricket pavilion, a much-loved feature of the school grounds, and the cleaning and restoration of the war memorial plaques in the Old Hall.
The Association also provides bursary funding to support deserving pupils’ families who might otherwise not be able to afford the school fees, and provides assistance through a designated fund set up in the name of a past Deputy Headmaster, Sidney Crane, to support any former student wishing to undertake a travel project which supports a charitable or educational purpose.
Old Kirkhamians regularly provide mentoring advice and work experience opportunities to current students, and the Association provides a sizeable number of the representatives for professions exhibiting at the annual careers fair for current students.
The Association is governed by a committee of former pupils and former staff, who appoint a President to serve a two-year term as well as an Honorary Treasurer, with secretarial support provided by a member of the school's secretariat.
Guided tours and old stomping grounds
Old Kirkhamians are always welcome to visit their old school, and a guided tour can readily be arranged by contacting the school in advance on info@kirkhamgrammar.co.uk
The Association organises several regular events for alumni:
- A formal annual dinner, held in the School’s Old Hall
- Informal meet-ups alongside 1st XV’s rugby fixtures when these take place in the evening at Preston Grasshoppers RUFC
- An annual, informal drinks meet-up in Central London, for the many alumni who live and work in London and the South-East
- An annual informal gathering of recent leavers, held just before Christmas at a licensed premises in Wrea Green.
- An annual cricket match between an OKA XI and a Head’s XI at school
- An annual challenge golf match with OKA and school players
In addition, year-group specific reunions are held several times a year in school, often by request of an individual or a group of friends. These are commonly held at decade anniversaries of leaving, for example 10, 20, 30, 40 years on from leaving school.
Typically, these consist of an informal Saturday afternoon gathering in the Old Hall with light refreshments provided by the school. and hosted by members of the OKA Committee. This is followed by a leisurely guided tour of the school campus, led by current and former teachers, visiting areas familiar and less familiar to alumni.
Any alumni who wish to explore arranging a reunion of this kind are welcome to approach the Committee with a proposal. The OKA will agree a date and help to facilitate contact with the relevant alumni, including through its social media channels.
The OKA pages now feature in the Kirkhamian magazine. Please click on the link below to view...
https://www.kirkhamgrammar.co.uk/news-1/the-kirkhamian
Follow the OKA on social media
Please click on the links below to visit our social media pages/groups:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/144252258965733/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kgsoka/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2688713/