Joseph Rowntree School in New Earswick, York, turns 80

Joseph Rowntree School in New Earswick staged an event with the school full of ex pupils and staff getting together to celebrate its big birthday.

Year 10 and 11 pupils along with the head teacher Dave Hewitt, former head Hugh Porter, former assistant head Dorothy Hornby and the chairman of governors Robin Stafford planted four trees, one for each of our school houses - aspen, willow, oak and hazel.

The school's assistant head, Rachael Clarke, said: “We had a wonderful afternoon and we were delighted that so many people were able to share our big day with us.

"There were faces from every decade of the school’s history, all reminiscing and sharing stories of times gone by. We would love to thank all of those who sent in their photos and memories of their time at the school, they were invaluable to making the event work.”

There was a cake cutting with 91-year-old Mr Shield who started at the school as a pupil just after it opened in 1943, Year 7 pupil Matthew Warry and the longest serving member of staff, Michelle Kimmings.

Former assistant head Dorothy Hornby planted four trees, one for each of our school houses - aspen, willow, oak and hazel

Guests were offered free tea and coffee and home baked scones and there was an ice-cream van all afternoon.

There were performances from the stage in the school hub who serenaded guests whilst they were looking at hundreds of photos and artefacts from our 80 year history.

Guests were also able to visit our lecture theatre and watch the video taken by first head teacher, Mr Lightowler featuring the school and its pupils back in the 1940s.

As part of our event we launched a school memories website that people can access from our main school website that has over 500 photos along with videos, artefacts, newspaper cuttings and memories from past students and staff and we will be leaving it up for people to access and enjoy.

The school opened to pupils in January 1942, but it was officially opened by the then President of the Board of Education and future Conservative Minister Rab Butler, on July 7 the same year.

Like the village of New Earswick and its primary school before it, the secondary school was part of the vision of Joseph Rowntree and then his son, Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree.

At the time of its opening, the school was seen to be a model for the future, a precursor to the secondary modern and comprehensive schools that were to come, as it offered agricultural and vocational courses as well as academic subjects.

Since then, thousands of pupils have passed through its corridors and the school is now a large comprehensive serving an area including New Earswick, Haxby and Wigginton.

In 2008 building work began on a £29 million reconstruction project which would see a whole new school building erected on the playing fields behind the original school.

In early 2010 the new school was finished, and staff and pupils moved into the new building which houses the school today.