IN JUNE 1968 the people of Tetbury were delighted with the opening of the brand new site for St Mary’s C of E school.

The development had been campaigned for by pupils, teachers and parents for many years and the new facilities were a marked improvement to the former building.

Headmaster Mr Desmond Carwardine and his staff, assisted by a number of parents were putting the finishing touches to classrooms.

The work was completed swiftly as the foundation stone had only been laid in the previous July.

Previously, pupils were taught in a building well over 100 years old with no assembly hall or dining room.

For school meals, tables had to be put down and taken up each lunchtime.

In the new building there was an assembly hall, a dining room, a library and TV room as well as eight class rooms.

Pupils of the old St Mary’s school had to cross a main road in order to reach their playing field which was on the town’s recreations ground.

Now they had their own playing field close to the school building.

The headteacher described the reaction of the children on arrival at the new school: “They were thrilled to bits, they just cannot get over the difference in their environment now and what they had before.

"Members of the staff are equally thrilled.”