Celebrating 50 Years of Long Road: A Golden Anniversary to Remember!

85From the moment guests arrived at reception, smiles and laughter filled the air as our visitors explored old classrooms, spotted themselves in yearbooks, and caught glimpses of Long Road through the decades in our special archive exhibit.

Our college archive display was a huge hit. Yearbooks, photos, magazines, and memorabilia from the 1970s to today brought memories flooding back. Alumni lingered over familiar faces, shared stories sparked by group photos, and marvelled at how much — and how little — had changed. It was a chance to reconnect not only with each other, but with the shared journey that defines Long Road.

Our Memory Video Booth gave guests the opportunity to record their personal stories, reflections, and Long Road moments on camera. These recordings will become part of our growing digital archive, preserving the voices and experiences of our community for generations to come. 

Of course, the focus of the celebration was the launch of our Wellbeing Garden project, a new green space we’re developing on campus to support student mental health and wellbeing. All proceeds from ticket sales are going directly toward this initiative, and we're so grateful to our guests for helping us turn this vision into reality. The garden will be a lasting legacy of this anniversary — a peaceful place for future students to reflect, recharge, and feel supported.

The highlight of the event was the outstanding performances from our student musicians. Their live performances brought energy, talent, and warmth to the afternoon, showcasing the creativity that continues to thrive at Long Road.

Visitors wandered the campus at their own pace, soaking in the sunshine; delicious canapés and a buzzing local bar added to the relaxed, party atmosphere. As Sue Bridgeland, former teacher (1985 - 2017), so perfectly put it:

Wow, what a wonderful party — so many people to talk to that I hadn't seen for more than 20 years! It was really lovely to see so many familiar faces... albeit a bit older and greyer!

And from Ian Wilson, our former Vice Principal (1990–2002) and Chair of Governors (2013–2022):

I just wanted to congratulate you on the celebration event on Saturday. The whole afternoon was appropriately relaxed and convivial, giving people every chance to chat and mix as they wished. I was delighted to meet so many former colleagues.

From our beginnings as the Cambridgeshire High School for Girls to today’s thriving, diverse sixth form of 2,500 students, our story has always been about people — the students, staff, families, and community who shape our past, present, and future.

To everyone who joined us — thank you. You made this milestone unforgettable.

And if you couldn’t attend but still want to be part of our next chapter, we’d love to hear from you. Our Careers Team is collecting pledges of time, expertise, and mentorship to support our students. Just email careers@longroad.ac.uk to get involved.

If you're a former member of staff or a former student, be sure to register for our Alumni Network! 

Here’s to the past 50 years — and the next 50 to come!