“WE try to put them off agriculture because the average agricultural worker is exploited” – the words came from John Farmer, who was in charge of non-examination fourth and fifth year students.

Swanmore had one of the biggest catchment areas in Hampshire when these pictures were taken on December 6, 1973. The school had an active Young Farmers’ Club which won just about every trophy going in the county.

But when careers master Mike Noble fixed up jobs for leavers, farming was way down the list. it was usually reserved for those who had grown up on the farm, loved it and wanted to stay.

Apart from Mr Farmer’s sentiment – that farm workers were exploited – Mr Noble knew that modern methods needed less and less manpower on farms. It left him with the mammoth task of finding nearly 60 jobs in a rural area.

Full-time education was usually the biggest choice for the leavers – the majority of the children going to sixth form college or technical college in Eastleigh, Fareham or Highbury.

Engineering was often a popular field to go into, as was the local government and the civil service.