A watching brief was carried out during the excavation of a trench along part of the southern boundary of the school, in order to install the new electricity mains supply cable. The approximately 100m-long trench stretched from the south-eastern boundary of the school, along a grass bank adjoining Sheepen Road, to the boys’ entrance at the front of the school building. The trench was dug to 700mm depth and 300mm width using a mechanical excavator fitted with a toothless bucket.<1> 600-700mm of topsoil (Layer or L1) sealed a dry light brown silt subsoil (L2) which contained tile flecks. L2 rose up slightly to the west. Roman pottery, Roman tile, peg-tile and occasional animal bone came from L1 and the interface with L2. Contractors retrieved a 3rd-century Roman coin from the western end of the trench. No archaeological features were observed. It was suspected that the trench was not deep enough to expose Roman or Iron Age features as it was dug through a grassy verge which was slightly higher than the school car park. The only features of note were reinforced concrete foundations, said by the caretaker to the remains of air-raid shelters which once stood to the east and west of the main school entrance.