A Sittingbourne school has been celebrating its golden anniversary year, by inviting former pupils into class.

Lansdowne Primary School first registered pupils on April 16, 1969.

Last week, former pupils visited the Gladstone Drive site, to share memories and a 25-year-old photograph was re-created.

Special guests included brother and sister Terry and Jane Matson, who were pupils from Lansdowne’s first year, 1969.

Terry was in the first ever Lansdowne football team and scored the first goal in their first match.

Another past pupil, Rebecca Noakes, shared her Lansdowne memories with the children in a special assembly. They enjoyed hearing her stories about the strict teachers, learning to swim in the freezing swimming pool and taking part in the nativity.

Head teacher Claire Jobe said: “We have been overwhelmed by efforts put into the celebrations.

“We have had visits from past pupils who have shared their stories with us, Liz in the kitchen recreated the cake that was made for Lansdowne’s 25th anniversary and we invited parents in to school to watch their children performing a song from one of the decades from the 60s to the present day.

"It was a lot of fun and the children really enjoyed celebrating being such a special part of our community.”

The school has undergone a number of changes in its 50 years.

"It has been graded as a ‘good’ school with ‘outstanding’ early years provision and leadership by Ofsted.

The original building has also undergone a refurbishment and a second block of classrooms have been built.

Lansdowne has an open evening on Tuesday, November 12 at 6pm for children who are set to start school in September 2020. For more, click here.

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