Old friendships were reignited last week as hundreds of former pupils joined together at a Beaconsfield school to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

Alumni who attended Beaconsfield High from the past five decades – including teachers and current pupils – took a trip down memory lane during the champagne and tea party thrown to mark the milestone.

The guests walked the corridors of the school on Wattleton Road on Saturday, September 17 and revisited the past in classrooms which had been decorated with old memorabilia to represent a different decade.

Head teacher, Rachel Smith, said: “It was like everyone had reverted back to being girls at the school again. It was a delight to see the joy of people coming back to their old school – it was the happiest day.

“We welcomed everyone from the class of 66 right up until the present day.

“Over 500 girls and 50 staff including two past head teachers were there it was lovely. It was so loud and there were friendships that were created back then that have lasted a life time. It was wonderful.”

The event also raised £3,000 towards the school’s “sponsor an element” fundraising scheme, which encourages people to place cash on an element of the periodic table to go towards the school’s science department.

And there was a ceremonial cutting of the cake by the two women who believed they were the first through the doors of the school when it opened in 1966.

Mrs Smith added: “They had the chance to go through the school and we had rooms for all the decades and had boards with memorabilia from old time tables, photos and letters and loud music from that time.

“They were allowed to go round the school and did things they were not supposed to do back then like go on the stage and walk through the staff room.”