Birthday celebrations for High Peak school on 150th anniversary

Peak Forest School 150th anniversary, current head teacher Ros Carter with some of the pupils and the commemorative mugs

Staff at Peak Forest Primary School marked their anniversary on Friday by inviting past and present pupils to take a walk down memory lane to celebrate a century-and-a-half of learning.

The oldest former pupil from the village, Sheila Fletcher, aged 91, enjoyed meeting some of the younger cohort.

Peak Forest School 150th anniversary, Christine Gregory finds an entry about herself in the School's old log book from the 1940s. She later met her husband at a dance in the same classroom

She said: “Everything has changed, but nothing has changed. The building is a bit bigger now and there is a new playground, but I can still tell it’s still the same school I came to all those years ago.”

The school dug out its old log books to put on display, revealing how the school had been closed for one day to celebrate VE Day after the Second World War and how it shut for days during the terrible winter of 1946/47.

Another ex-pupil, Christine Gregory, found her name in one of the log books, saying she had been accepted into grammar school.

She said: “The school is such a part of the community.

Peak Forest School 150th anniversary, celebration bun

“They used to hold dances for the young people, and it was here I met my husband. We married in Chapel-en-le-Frith in 1956.

“My whole life has revolved around this school, so it’s nice to be back to celebrate the anniversary.”

The school, which was built in 1868, currently teaches 27 pupils.

Headteacher Ros Carter added: “The fact the school is still here today is testament to the strength of the community and our wonderful parents and pupils.”