Defunct Northamptonshire prep school is '˜alive and well' in central Africa

Great Houghton Prep School may have shurt down two years ago - but its uniforms have found a new home at the Outspan school in Uganda.

Great Houghton Preparatory School shut its doors in 2014 after it went into administration, leaving 300 fee-paying pupils needing to find another place to learn.

But thanks to the continuing work of a group of former staff there, some of the uniforms once worn by Great Houghton pupils have been given a new home in central Africa.

In recent years blazers, tops, sports kits and vests emblazoned with the private school’s logo have been handed over to Outspan School in the Ugandan capital Kampala as part of an ongoing aid effort.

And recently former Great Houghton headteacher Tim Street delivered another two dozen sets of rugby kits and sports vests.

He said: “It was a huge pleasure, causing me some emotion, to see groups of impoverished Outspan pupils wearing Great Houghton Prep School uniform and looking proud to do so.

“It makes Great Houghton still seem alive and well in Uganda.”

The defunct primary school’s links to Outspan date back to 1998.

Former teacher, Georgina Miles, visited Uganda on a project with the Scouts and decided to set up an aid project.

Great Houghton had been sending over uniforms, books and computers prior to its closure.

And despite it shutting down, a group of schools in Northamptonshire have taken on the aid effort and continue to sponsor individual pupils who board at Outspan - many of whom are orphans.

Mr Street added: “The irony perhaps is that the third world school has survived and grown – it now has a college with 200 pupils near Kayunga – and Great Houghton is no more.”

Mr Street, who has continued to deliver aid to Outspan since retiring as head teacher in 2003, was given permission by the Great Houghton administrators to take away bundles of the school’s games in 2015.

He personally delivered as many rugby tops, shorts and games vests he could pack into two suitcases to Outspan.

A set of yellow vets has gone to kit out the college’s brass band and the rugby shorts given to pupils short of everyday clothes.