11 iconic PE teachers you might recall. Which ones put you through your paces in South Tyneside's past

By Chris Cordner

Digital specialist in nostalgia

Published 17th Jun 2025, 14:28 BST

Some of you loved them and some of you loathed them. We are talking about PE lessons and these were the teachers who led them in the past in South Tyneside schools.

There’s St Bede’s, St Wilfrid’s, Brinkburn, Hedworthfied, Hadrian and more.

See if there is a PE teacher you remember among these Shields Gazette memories.

In case you missed it;

Paying tribute to South Tyneside's teaching assistants in nine retro scenes

Is your favourite South Tyneside teacher among these photos from the early 2000s?

Back to the classroom for memories of 15 head teachers from South Tyneside's past

Margaret Tipping, Hedworthfield PE teacher, was giving expert advice in 1970 while Dorothy Blenkinsop of West Boldon did a back flip.

1. Margaret Tipping at Hedworthfield School

Margaret Tipping, Hedworthfield PE teacher, was giving expert advice in 1970 while Dorothy Blenkinsop of West Boldon did a back flip. | sg

Harton Comprehensive School's annual swimming gala got our attention in December 1990.
PE teacher Keith Grabham is pictured with Sonia Hall, Lisa Yousef, and Sarah Johnson.

2. Keith Grabham at Harton Comprehensive

Harton Comprehensive School's annual swimming gala got our attention in December 1990. PE teacher Keith Grabham is pictured with Sonia Hall, Lisa Yousef, and Sarah Johnson. | sg

They had the mark of success at Brinkburn Comprehensive in 2003.
That was the year the school got a sport mark and Christine Fairclough joined pupils, as well as head teacher Maurice Hall, to celebrate.

3. Christine Fairclough at Brinkburn Comprehensive

They had the mark of success at Brinkburn Comprehensive in 2003. That was the year the school got a sport mark and Christine Fairclough joined pupils, as well as head teacher Maurice Hall, to celebrate. | nw

The pupils and staff at St Bede's RC School did all sorts of events for Sports Relief in 2004, and PE teacher Brian McVitte joined in.

4. Brian McVitte at St Bede's RC

The pupils and staff at St Bede's RC School did all sorts of events for Sports Relief in 2004, and PE teacher Brian McVitte joined in. | nw

Memories Shields Gazette South Tyneside

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