High school celebrates 50th anniversary

Students yesterday got a taste of the 1950s as Long Stratton High School marked its golden anniversary. School cooks dished up traditional favourites toad in the hole and jam roly poly pudding as part of the 50th birthday celebrations which saw former pupils and staff sharing nostalgic memories of the early days.

Students yesterday got a taste of the 1950s as Long Stratton High School marked its golden anniversary.

School cooks dished up traditional favourites toad in the hole and jam roly poly pudding as part of the 50th birthday celebrations which saw former pupils and staff sharing nostalgic memories of the early days.

Linda Wenham vividly recalled how proud she was a as a young girl, walking through the door of the brand new building for the first time on April 14 1949.

Fast forward 50 years, and her daughter Kate Gardener is now an English teacher at the school.

Mrs Wenham said: 'I didn't even think of having a daughter then. The whole circle has gone around, and it's a nice experience to be back here now and to meet Frank Clarke, my class teacher, after such a long time.'

'Linda was one of the girls in my form, which was 1A and there were 48 in that class, believe it or not. When the door was closed you couldn't get anyone else in,' added Mr Clarke, who has two grandchildren currently at the school.

Head of music Mark Hardwick and swimming instructor Liz Lim, got into the mood by dressing in style for the occasion.

'We've both had our 50th birthdays this year. It's a triple celebration so to speak, Mr Hardwick said.

Teacher Jo Locke's purple and white floral skirt with flouncy net petticoat was also evocative of the era, while colleague Penelope Wilson-Down opted for a pencil skirt, blouse and cardigan.

She gave her English class a lesson using an authentic English text from the 1950s.