LAWN Primary School pupils young and old are being called upon to join a special reunion to mark 50 years of the school’s history.

The school – then The Lawn Primary Junior – was opened on August 21, 1958, by head teacher Marjorie B Nutt.

But because pupils now spend six weeks of the summer on school holiday, no-one was around for Lawn Primary’s 50th birthday this year.

Instead head Chris Brown hopes to host a two day celebration on October 16 and 17 to commemorate the special anniversary.

Mr Brown, who has been a teacher at the school for the last 20 years, says he hopes past pupils will return to Cleeve Lawns to meet current classes and tell them about the schooldays of the 1950s.

“It would be wonderful for our pupils to hear from past students and know exactly how their school has changed in 50 years,” he said.

“An awful lot has happened since I have been here so you can imagine the changes five decades have brought.”

When the school first opened it had 198 pupils split into six classes. The school had four house groups of Barbury, Charlbury, Liddington and White Horse and house points were awarded to the highest performing group.

The election of head boy and head girl ended in 1973 and three years later the school canteen was closed and children were required to bring packed lunches.

In Mr Brown’s time at the school it has been spilt into a junior and an infants and then amalgamated to create one primary.

The canteen was reopened four years ago – but the old kind of school meals served have been left well and truly in the past.

“Our on-site food is now all locally sourced and organic and the head of our kitchen takes great pride in the fact that the food is fresh and healthy,” said Mr Brown.

“School meals have certainly come a long way since the 50s.”

Anyone who would like to join the reunion next month can call Mr Brown at Lawn Primary School on 01793 522626 or email admin@lawn-pri.swindon.sch.uk