PUPILS from the 1930s to the present day celebrated 80 years of Chagford’s school recently.

The town’s local history society gathered photos, artifacts and memories from across the catchment area and displayed them in decades in the school hall.

Organiser Sue Price said: ‘The hall was packed and it was absolutely brilliant, such a worthwhile exercise.

‘We had a couple who were at the school in the 1930s, pointing themselves out in photographs to the present students and people in their 40s, 50s and 60s and the rest all enjoying a reunion with their old classmates.

‘With the building now under threat we wanted to celebrate the life of this beautiful and iconic 1930s creation while it’s still here.’

The school was opened on October 2 1936 and, until the 1970s comprehensive system, was a primary and secondary school. Since then it has been a primary school.

When it was first built there were protests from Moretonhampstead that the school should’ve been built there. Cuttings from protests at County Hall were included in the anniversary exhibition.

The original building in extensive grounds, including fields and an amphitheatre, is now under threat from redevelopment, as it’s deemed to be becoming unfit for purpose. More than £2-million has been ring-fenced to demolish the school and rebuild a modern design, but many parents and residents are vehemently opposed to the demolition of the original school.