OLD friends went back to school to join in its centenary celebrations yesterday.

Past and present pupils of Coundon St Joseph's RC Primary, in County Durham, marked the occasion with a Mass in the school hall led by the Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle the Right Reverend Kevin Dunn and parish priest Father Peter Kelly.

A second day of festivities in planned tomorrow when children will dress in Edwardian and Victorian costumes, playing traditional games and eating from a typical early-1900s menu of meat pies and treacle puddings.

St Joseph's opened in 1907 when the policy of the diocese was to build schools before churches.

Coundon people worshipped and spent their leisure time in the school. Skilled men of the parish built a room for joinery and cookery, there was a community hall with a snooker table where women made proddy mats and held teas and concerts to raise money until finally St Joseph's Church was opened in 1934.

Headteacher Stefa McManners said: "Things have come full circle. Schools are being opened up to the community more and more now, but this is how St Joseph's started."

The school has won Investing in Children status four times and was this year named North-East School of the Year for its community links.

Mrs McManners said: "We believe in the all round development of the children and encouraging them all to use their talents right across the curriculum."

A former pupil who became headteacher at St Joseph's, Charles McGowan, was among yesterday's guests.

He led the school from 1954 to 1982 when Mrs McManners took over.

Mr McGowan, 90, said: "It has always been a lovely school. I had a good staff.

"I was a believer in the Three Rs, so I would be looked on now as being old fashioned."