FORMER pupils and staff are invited to Lavington School’s 50th anniversary celebration.

The secondary school, in Market Lavington, is holding a tea party on June 28 from 4.30 to 6pm.

There will be entertainment from pupils including music and drama performances and displays of current art and design and technology work.

Students will also take visitors on a tour of the school and afternoon tea will be served.

Headteacher Martin Watson said the occasion would provide an interesting time for ex-pupils and staff.

He said: “There have been many building projects over the years and pupils and staff who left before 1990 will find much of the school unrecognisable – even the 1960s tower block has had a revamp.”

The school opened in 1962 as a secondary modern with 154 pupils. It became comprehensive in 1973 with 360 pupils when it had a link with Dauntsey’s School, whose teachers taught a number of subjects.

By 1992 there were 450 pupils and they had the opportunity to study in the sixth form at Dauntseys, however this link ended a few years later.

Now the school has about 700 pupils. It became a specialist school for maths and computing in 2005, was judged as outstanding by Ofsted in 2008 and became one of the first Academy schools in January last year.