A THORNBURY school is celebrating its 175th anniversary this year in spectacular fashion.

St Mary’s Primary School is celebrating the milestone with various events in the town throughout the year.

With the help of Thornbury in Bloom, pupils at the school planted 175 bulbs in the shape of the number outside the old school building to recognise the anniversary of the founding of the school.

The school also sold Victorian-style wooden toys from a stall at the Christmas lights switch-on in November.

The school’s headteacher, Karl Joyce, said: “The future is looking bright for the school but it’s also important that we recognise this milestone.

“To mark the anniversary we’re holding a range of Victorian themed events to mark the time when the school was founded.

“We held a Victorian day and had a stall selling Victorian-style toys at the Christmas lights switch-on – this is all to get the children to think about what the school was like 175 years ago.”

At Easter a time capsule will be installed at the school to mark the school’s anniversary.

Looking forward, the school has recently had plans drawn up to change buildings at the school which will include four new classrooms at the primary school.

Mr Joyce added: “The school is in a fantastic place at the moment, the number of pupils at the school is growing and this is a very exciting time to be at St Mary’s.”

To mark the school’s 150th anniversary, a book was produced on the history of St Mary’s and the school is hoping to add to it with contributions from people who went to the school during that period.

The school is looking for former pupils to share their memories and photos, it is hoped that these will then be exhibited at the school in the summer term.