A PRIMARY school celebrated its big 4-0 today.

Staff and pupils at Bishop Middleham C of E Primary School held a special assembly to mark its 40th birthday.

The whole school sang Happy Birthday and the oldest and youngest pupils Aaran Hall, 11 years eight months old, and Aalish Osbaldeston, four years 11 months old, presented head teacher Lindsey Vollans with a birthday cake.

Mrs Vollans said: "It is a pleasure and privilege to share in this memorable occasion and this is only the beginning of the celebrations.

"We will also be commemorating this anniversary year later in the summer by having a special history week where the children will focus on each decade the school has been opened."

The school was founded in 1770 and the original building was a single stone schoolroom and pupils from the village and neighbouring communities of Mainsforth, Thrislington, Cornforth and Garmondsey attended.

In 1968 work started on today’s school building and it was opened as St Michael’s Church of England School on May 16, 1969, by the then Bishop of Durham Ian Ramsey.

For a picture from the school's 40th anniversary see The Northern Echo.