Read this with interest and wondered where Portslade Secondary School was.  Was it the one in the High Street or Chalky Road?

Anyone remember Mr Hunt taking us over to Calais for the day, must have been 1961/2. I remember chaps coming back with lighters and playing cards that were short of numbers in the deck.  It was so hot and a very long day.  I remember the woodwork teacher getting into trouble about something and the Herring family slowly getting expelled one by one! The boy in our class put a banger in another's pocket. Did anyone else get the new boy introduction of being squashed in the air raid shelters.

I remember Mr Hunt. He took us for history I believe and football, up at the then girl's school in Mile Oak along with Mr 'Slipper' Bennett - I still have a job to sit down when I think of him. As for the initiation ceremony, I was in the house represented by yellow. I can't remember the house name, but in the science lab each new pupil had to undergo the electric shock treatment which involved the new 'victim' having to hold two pieces of metal, one in each hand and the teacher spinning a generator to give a mild electric shock. If they did that today, I'm sure the teacher would be locked up in the tower and the key thrown away. This site has given me many a laugh and bought back many memories. Thank you all.

The Yellow house was Pevensey, Blue was Lewes. Red, I think, was Bramber, and Green was Arundel. As you can see all castles.  And yes, we got the sqashing in the Air Raid Shelter initiation. That was the shelter at the bottom of the steps going down from the top playground (the supposedly peaceful playground) to the lower playground.

The boys school was/is at the top of the hill out of Mile Oak. The girls school was in Chalky Road further up the hill. We used to walk up there to play soccer or rugby. We also went over the downs in the annual cross country race - I hated it. The other memory was the frozen or boiled milk (depending on the time of year) left in the top playground and the tuck shop in the lower playground. I also have a very faint memory of a swimming pool that was filled in and made into Mr Bennetts classroom. I had him that year - oh ouch, the fido!

I haven't moved as far away as Chris Edwards, it's about a mile, I now live in Southwick. To Dave Phillips, yes it's me of Beechers Road and I also have the form photo which is on the Friends Reunited website. Dave do you remember that your parents were some of the first to receive ITV, and that on most Mondays we would go back to your place to watch Popeye? Not one of us will ever forget the mass slippering. What you ask for you get in this instance. The building hasn't changed a lot from the outside apart from some oversized logos saying 6th Form College. I believe it was Mr Heasman who had the grin on his face when he gave us the shock treatment.

Great to see photos like this on the site - I might even be really brave and post a couple from my days at Benfield. I wondered if my brother might feature in the above photos but he was a bit older than these boys. If anyone reading through these messages does remember him - Stephen Clifford - I would love to hear from you. He went to Benfield too and then Mile Oak (Portslade Secondary) and would have been at the latter about 1954/5 to 1958/9'ish.

I was at the school from 1964-66 I remember Mr Beale, that slipper guy, Mr Bennett, and my favourite teacher (ever) Mr Faulkner the art teacher. Dave Gibson and I thought we were in trouble for negative comments in an art gallery book. But Mr Faulkner asked us why we thought Miro was rubbish. I was surprised, a teacher in the 60s asking for my opinion, unbelievable. I love art.
I almost forgot, the tech drawing teacher, Mr Parkinson, he was great. The first time you went into his class he warned you not to talk. No matter how sneaky you were he always heard you, and eventually you got the edge of the ruler across your knuckles. He treated everyone the same, I liked that.

Anyone know what happened to David Knight? He lived at the bottom of Crown Road and we used to go around together. I also remember some of the other names here. I hope you are all well.

I remember Mr Hunt, he was our form teacher for 4 years - only one who would put up with us. Mr Bennet P.E. teacher; because of him I used to get a gentle slap with a slipper each morning from Mr Hunt in case he missed anything. My mate was Terry Martin. Knew of the Herrings - suppose they are still trouble. This has me thinking now at 62, it seems like yesterday. I lived in Trafalagar Road; pop down now and again when I'm going to watch the Albion. Live in Middlesex now. Wish you all well.

Oh the Herrings - each generation expelled. I lived at the bottom of Crown Road - mum worked in the handbag factory. We were on the same side as the coal-man. Skinners I think. I remember David Knight - but we moved to St Andrews Road and lost my mates.

Brian Higgins - I was in "yellow" house too, and as pointed out, it was Pevensey. Worse still (!) I was the 1960-61 House Captain, and I am guilty of being the one who doled out those electric shocks to initiate all the new boys in the Science Lab which was our House meeting place! I remember getting the treatment too, in my first year, but it was no big deal, just a bit of fun really, but taken seriously by the House and by the new boys, who always feared the unknown, of course. Ah, those school days!