Colindale Primary School

Did the ground beneath Colindale Primary School once tremble with the march of Roman legions? The original Roman road, Watling Street, lies buried beneath the nearby Edgware Road. Imagine those Roman soldiers, their sandals kicking up dust, as they marched north from London, a mere stone’s throw from where Colindale Primary School stands today. Colindale Primary School wasn’t always here, of course. In the 1930s, Colindale was mostly farmland. Then came the London Underground, bringing city dwellers further out. Houses sprung up, and with them, the need for a school. So, Colindale Primary School was built to educate the booming population. The school’s old logo even featured wings, a nod to the nearby Hendon Aerodrome, built in 1911 by Claude Grahame-White. This airfield played a key role in both World Wars. Now, the RAF Museum stands on that very spot, housing a reconstruction of Grahame-White’s factory. Colindale Primary School has seen its share of history. During World War II, air raid sirens wailed, and children and teachers scurried to the bomb shelters tucked away at the bottom of the playing fields. These shelters, a stark reminder of wartime realities, existed until the 1960s. Time marched on, and Colindale continued to grow. The old school building, once sufficient, became too small. In 2011, a new Colindale Primary School rose on the old playing fields. The former building was demolished, making way for new outdoor spaces. Today, Colindale, just 40 minutes from the city centre, is a vibrant hub of diversity, where children speaking up to 40 different languages fill the classrooms of Colindale Primary School. This school stands as a testament to the ever-changing landscape of Colindale, a place where Roman roads, wartime shelters, and the echoes of an aerodrome all contribute to its rich tapestry.