Esme Stansfield, Bianca Watts and Vicky Adams on their lucky dip sweet jar stall (30931/5)PUPILS, staff and governors gathered at St Laurence School at the weekend to celebrate 25 "wonderful" years.
The Bradford on Avon school marked its silver jubilee on Friday and Saturday with a series of activities.
Proceedings began with a service in Holy Trinity Church on Friday afternoon, followed by the raising of a new school flag.
The opening of a new £350,000 restaurant followed and in the evening a silver jubilee dinner was held for former staff, with sixth formers acting as waiters.
On Saturday, a street party was held between 4pm and 9pm in Church Street.
Bill Wheeler, St Laurence's first headteacher between 1980 and 1988, came back for the first time on Friday to celebrate the anniversary.
He said: "I am somebody who doesn't believe in backseat driving so this is the first time I have been back to the school.
"It is lovely to be here, I have got a tour of the school later so I shall see what has changed.
"I really enjoyed my time here and I thought it was a really good idea to come back."
Present day headteacher, James Colquhoun, said: "It has been a really wonderful day and a good chance to integrate the opening of our new restaurant with the anniversary celebrations.
"It has been a very successful 25 years for the school and has been helped by the staff and governors who have worked alongside the young people.
"We have also had fantastic support from parents and we look forward to another successful 25 years."
The new restaurant coincides with a healthy eating drive and caterers have taken chips and fried food off the school menu. Mr Colquhoun said: "The pupils have got right behind it and have been really positive.
"They are eating much healthier food and it is a much better environment.
"We are committed to a healthy eating policy and have been for more than two years, long before Jamie Oliver graced our screens."
West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison attended the service on Friday and the street party on Saturday. He said: "Congratulations to St Laurence on its Silver Jubilee and best wishes for the next 25 years."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article