Pupils and staff went back in time to celebrate their school’s 100th anniversary.

Reed First School marked a century of educating youngsters in the village this week, and as part of the celebrations staff and pupils dressed up in costumes their predecessors would have worn when the school first opened on October 13, 1913.

representatives from Hitchin Museum also visited the school to tell the children about life in 1913.

The school first opened its doors after the fields had been harvested and welcomed 37 pupils, aged up to 14, from the village and the surrounding area – many of whom previously had to walk across the fields to Barkway. There were originally two classrooms, divided by a partition, and these are still in use today as the school hall.

The school currently has 41 children on roll and is still using the original admissions book which has had 1,092 names added over the past 100 years.

Headteacher Jackie Harvey said: “I have discovered so much about the school’s history, which has been both fascinating and often touching. The school log book gives a real insight into how some aspects of education have changed over the years but it has also been interesting to find out that staffing, health and safety and high expectations of children’s achievement were as important to my predecessors as they are to me today.

“Over time the school has been threatened with closure and I am grateful that previous headteachers and the residents of Reed have worked together to keep it open.”

The school will be holding a centenary garden party next June for anyone with a connection to the school. They would also like to hear from anyone with photos or memorabilia from the school’s first 100 years.

Email admin@reed.herts.sch.uk or call 01763 848304.