A century of history was celebrated at Sithney Primary School as pupils and teachers past and present arrive to mark the school's centenary celebrations.
These included guest of honour Eunice Woolcock who has become a national face of pasties after appearing on a TV cooking contest.
The 93-year-old is also a former pupil and was invited to perform the opening ceremony for celebrations along with the primary’s youngest pupils Hayden and Imogen.
She then hosted a pasty-making workshop at which she shared her cooking skills.
Head teacher Susan Evans said: “It was marvellous. A superb day full of memories. The whole day just had an aura of something very special and quite humbling.”
The theme of the event was “to remember” and visitors were helped with this by the pupils setting up a museum following requests for memorabilia, old photographs and other artefacts.
These were displayed for all to see and many stories were told and memories shared as visitors found their names in the admissions books, punishment books, log books and old pictures.
One former pupil, 93-year-old Garfield Pryer, desperately wanted to attend but was unable to through ill health. Instead an interview with him was filmed in advance and then broadcast on the school’s interactive whiteboard. Garfield spoke about swinging on the school bell pull and how the school now sounded like a “fairground” compared to his own silent days when pupils were fearful of their teachers.
As the celebrations came to a close a time capsule was buried. With instructions engraved into a slate covering by parent Nick Dow it is hoped it will be dug up in 100 years time.
The capsule contains drawings by the younger children and letters from the older pupils, as well as a school prospectus, a disc of digital images and laminated, hard copies of photographs.
A mass balloon release then took place.
Mrs Evans said she was “indebted” to three parents – Rhonda Dow, Laura Bray and Katie Gill – who were the main organisers, helped by Cheryl Richardson and Nicky Whitehorne.
Despite fundraising not being the aim of the day, the school raised more than £1,000.
Earlier in the day the regular community lunch was held for mature visitors who join the children for a meal each half term. This was followed by a leavers’ service to say farewell to ten pupils moving on to secondary school and to welcome ten new reception pupils.
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