IT was a trip down memory lane for former classmates celebrating New Marston Primary School’s diamond anniversary.

The school in Copse Lane invited pupils from its very first days in 1949 to help commemorate its 60 years teaching Oxfordshire children on Saturday.

Familiar faces included Wendy Coveley, 64, whose grandchildren Josh and Georgie Collier now attend the school.

She said: ”It was just a lovely day. I was happy to see my old form teacher Mr Mundy.

“He was my favourite teacher and it was wonderful to see him again.

“The school is smaller now.

“When we attended, after the war, there were so many of us, they put us in temporary huts in the playground. Apparently, the huts were only taken down last year.”

Another ex-pupil reliving happy memories was Nadine Stone, formerly Smith, whose parents Gladys and Harry were in charge of caretaking and cleaning at the school.

She said: “I was among one of the school’s first intakes in 1949 After I left I used to help my dad stoke the boiler and things like that. My husband John installed the first radiators at the school and they are still there now.

“It hasn’t changed too much – I think they still have the same pegs we used.

“We walked around on our own to take a look, and had a lovely time.”

The school was also celebrating its summer festival and children who attend the school, along with current staff, were on hand with old photos and memory books for visiting ex-pupils to sign and contribute to with their own memories.

A special flowerbed was also created to commemorate the event.

Edwin Woodley, 56, who was known as Eamonn while he attended the school from 1958 to 1964, said: “The children at the school currently are an absolute credit to it. They were just lovely.

“I was so happy to see my old class teacher Viv Forward. She hadn’t changed a bit.

“Looking at the school photos was a bit sad, because some of my classmates aren’t here now, but that’s a fact of life.

“I just remember them as happy children running in the playground.”