Former pupils and staff of Willaston School helped to celebrate the school’s 60th anniversary.
The primary school first opened its doors to pupils in January 1955 with the official opening taking place later that year, on November 17.
Since then, the school has grown from 48 pupils and three staff to 190 pupils in seven classes.
The birthday party held last week took visitors through the decades, highlighting how aspects of life from fashion to music have changed.
There were some retro food choices on the menu too, with pupils serving spam and coronation chicken sandwiches.
Visitors to the open afternoon included Education Minister Tim Crookall, DEC chief executive Professor Ronald Barr and former head teacher Arthur Taggart.
The party followed on from a fashion show held the previous week, with each class learning about a decade.
Head teacher Rose Burton told the Courier: ‘As Willaston estate has grown over the years, so has the school.
‘Willaston is a real community school.
‘It predominately serves the children from Willaston estate but new houses on the other side of Johnny Watterson’s Lane has increased its catchment area.
‘The community aspect is a strength of the school, recently recognised through the Isle of Man Newspapers Awards for Excellence where Willaston School , along with the Youth and Community division won the team award for the inspirational FAST (Families and Schools Together) programme.
‘FAST is a programme that is aimed at engaging parents with the school, promoting good old fashioned family values.’
Some of Willaston School’s key milestones:
• March 7, 1955: The first telephone was installed
• 1965: It became a primary school, under the headship of Ron Cretney
• 1967-8: School enters the Manx Music Festival for the first time, and win the boys’ choir competition
• October 25, 1967: First school dinners
• 1969: School trip to Blackpool organised by head teacher Jack Gair to visit a fish factory, before having fish for tea and flying home
• 1979: School dancers and choir performed for the Queen at the opening of Queen Elizabeth II High School, in Peel
• 1981: Revival of the Willaston and District Fayre.