STAFF and pupils at Yeadon Westfield Infant School are celebrating after the school marked its 50th anniversary this year.

Originally opened in January 1973, staff from the school invited former colleagues and pupils back to enjoy refreshments and a trip down memory lane.

As part of the celebrations, the school is intending to bury a time capsule later this year. Children are currently thinking about a selection of appropriate items to include inside the capsule. Letters penned by the children are being sent to local businesses to help fund the project.

When the capsule’s contents have been agreed, it will be buried in the school grounds during an official ceremony attended by staff and pupils past and present, parents, members of the local community and dignitaries.

Headteacher Dawn Lowry said: “We’re very proud to have reached our 50th anniversary and wanted to do something very special to mark this milestone. We’ve had thousands of children pass through our doors since we opened in January 1973 and have had different generations from the same families begin their education with us.

“We’ve got a few events planned throughout the year to celebrate this. It was lovely to invite lots of former staff and pupils back into the school recently to reminisce about how much has changed over the years.

“We’re all very excited about the time capsule project. The children are putting lots of thought and effort into the contents as well as helping to secure the involvement of local businesses to make the project even more memorable. We’re really looking forward to our gathering in the summer when we can bury the time capsule and invite all friends and associates of the school to return to create another piece of history.”