NEWS COPY
One in two British adults believes their school years were ‘the best days of their lives’.
The survey delved into the life experiences of 2,000 adults to reveal the nation’s 30 most vivid school memories.
Topping the list were school assemblies and competing in the annual sports day.
While the third biggest memory was the annual school photo in clean, pristine uniforms, followed by the buzz of excitement when a teacher would wheel the television into the classroom.
Rounders matches and playground games of hopscotch, conkers and leapfrog were also included in the top 30 strongest school memories for the British public.
The research, which was commissioned by Sainsbury’s, also saw playing the recorder, scribbling in exercise books with graph paper and being a part of the annual nativity among the list of 30 nostalgic school memories.
The survey went on to reveal that, alongside memories, one in four (25 per cent ) adults showed their sentimental side by still owning an item from their school days.
Ties were the most popular keepsake - especially for the over 45's, of which 80 per cent still cherished theirs - followed by a school shirt, signed during the last day of term rituals.
And it’s not just memorabilia that has stood the test of time, as two thirds of us are still close with friends we made at school.
Northerners in particular live up to the stereotype as the friendliest part of the country: 70 per cent still spend quality time with at least three old school pals, compared to half (57 per cent) of Londoners and 49 per cent of Welsh.
In the classroom, English teachers proved the most popular, while sacré bleu will no doubt be raised with our French cousins, who came out as the least.
The Spice Girls reunion is good news for nearly half of 25-34 year olds, as they remember break times spent perfecting dance routines - most likely to the moves of Posh et al.
Elsewhere in the playground, boys were busy using school jumpers as goal posts for football matches (62 per cent) and swapping football stickers (46 per cent), whereas girls were making daisy chains (73 per cent), and practicing their handstands (45 per cent).
While romance started early for the 45 per cent who remember playing kiss chase.
For those 45 years old and over, research showed that playground times were spent playing Conkers, Top Trumps and attempting to solve the Rubix Cube.
John Carolan, Head of Buying for Tu childrenswear at Sainsbury’s, said: ‘It’s great to see that memories made at school last a lifetime and are looked back at fondly.
School is such an important time for parents and children alike; it is the beginning of a new journey for children and prompts parents to recollect life changing memories from their past.
‘As always, Sainsbury’s is here to make parents’ lives easier and help them plan ahead - which is why we so extensively test our back to school range to make sure it stands the test of time throughout the school year and beyond, if the amount of cherished signed school shirts is anything to go by!’
For more info visit - http://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk
BRITS 30 STRONGEST SCHOOL MEMORIES
- Assembly
- Sports days
- School photos
- Teacher wheeling in the TV
- Playing with conkers
- Playing rounders
- Singing hymns
- Playing the recorder
- Checked graph paper books for maths
- The annual nativity play
- Buying stationery at the beginning of the year
- Making daisy chains
- Packed lunches
- Writing your name and the date at the top every page, underlining with a ruler
- Playing 'it'
- Playing hopscotch
- Having a peg with your name on it
- Playing kiss chase
- Making lifelong friends
- Playing cat's cradle
- Playing leap frog
- Handstands in the playground
- Swapping football stickers
- Standing against the wall when naughty
- Having a cool/new lunchbox
- Doing dance routines
- Polishing your school shoes
- Being allowed to ring the bell at playtime
- Putting out your uniform the evening before
- Fancy dress days
ENDS
