FORMER students and teachers from Kingsdown School took a trip down memory lane as they revisited the halls and corridors of their youth.

Hosting a 1950s themed day to celebrate the launch of their new book, Kingsdown, the school opened its doors to ex-staff and alumni on Friday to take them on a nostalgic tour of the buildings and grounds.

There were even opportunities to revisit the classroom and get their hands dirty, with current teachers on hand to supervise decoration of clay tiles featuring names and attendance dates of the visitors, which will be displayed on a wall in the school.

Linda Smith, 60, said: “It feels funny to be back because of all the new technology, none of which was here when I attended the school.

“There are so many new buildings it looks like a completely different place. It has certainly changed for the better.”

Wendy Conaghan, headteacher of Kingsdown, said: “Last year was our 75th anniversary and we did a few things to celebrate.

“Bob Pixton, who used to be a science teacher at the school until he retired recently, has put together a book based on all the memorabilia given to us by old staff and students during the anniversary as a way to bring it all together. It compiles a thorough history of the school based on those contributions.”

Jim Kemp, a former headteacher at the school between 1974 and 1989, said: “I think the best thing about this school is that it is so family oriented, as we have generations of family members from around Stratton and further afield coming to learn here, so it not just about the history of the school, it is about family history.”