Sunderland school celebrates 50th anniversary with trip back to the Swingin' 60s

Pupils at Dame Dorothy Primary take a step back in time.

Dame Dorothy Primary School celebrated their 50th anniversary in style - in style of the decade.

The children and staff entered in the spirit of things by dressing up in the fashion from the day, with everything from flower power and psychedelia to hippie outfits.

Dame Dorothy Primary School staff turn back the clock.

Headteacher Iain Williamson dressed in the gown and headwear of that era to keep the school in order.

In the morning each class took part in a morning full of activities that revisited the culture, games and fashions of the times.

The children from Year 1 to Year 6 spent the morning visiting each other’s classrooms and looking at 1960’s examples of fashion, football strips, Lego, hand-clapping

games and different TV programmes.

Coun Barry Curran with some of the children.

Mr Williamson, who has headed up the school for nine years, said: “It was wonderful to share so many photographs of pupils and staff from the past 50 years in the presence of former work colleagues as well as watching short videos made by the children of life in school today.

“Along with a fantastic performance from our school choir the guests reminisced about the changes this friendly family school has witnessed over time.”

Mayor of Sunderland, Coun Lynda Scanlan, went along to talk about the school and its achievements.

And, Coun Barry Curran, who is a governor at the primary, spoke about how proud he is of the school.

He said: “As a ward councillor and school governor at Dame Dorothy it was a delight to be part of the celebrations.

“It was wonderful to hear the school choir sing and meet so many former teachers.

“The school has come a long way from when it was opened in 1968 and has seen so many changes to the area and its population.

“But, it has adapted to those changes and what we have today is a school which embraces the diversity of this wonderful community and that is great credit to the headteacher and his staff.”

As a momento from the 50th anniversary celebrations each of the children was given an engraved keyring, which was funded by the school’s Parents and Teachers Association.