FORMER pupils and staff of Wyedean School were among those who attended a 50th anniversary celebration at the school last Thursday (July 4).

They joined current staff and pupils for an evening that included “past v present” football and netball games, photographs, music and an exhibition about the school's most famous student, Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

The school opened in September 1973 and was based at what is now Severnbanks Primary School in Lydney until 1976.

Previously children living near the Welsh border had to travel to Lydney to either the mixed sex grammar school or the one of the two single sex secondary modern schools.

Current principal Gwennan Jeremiah is the sixth headteacher of the Sedbury school.

She said: “We are delighted to be running the event to celebrate the 50 years in our community because Wyedean has been at the heart of this part of the Forest of Dean and we get a third of our children from Monmouthshire so it's fantastic to get them all together and celebrate and recognise everything that has been achieved.

“It was designed as a comprehensive and immediately began pulling from South Wales so its always had that huge geographical pull which is interesting.

“We were one of the first waves of comprehensives and I think we've stayed true to that tradition.

“It's about serving our entire community to the best of our ability.”

Pupils from 43 primary schools – from as far away as Newnham, Yorkley, Caldicot and Magor started at the school.

“We take in a huge geographical area. I think that is because we are well regarded in our community and we have a sixth form which not all the secondary schools in the Forest of Dean do so children can start in Year Seven and continue to Year 13.

“We run courses that don't have huge numbers so subjects like music and further maths are important to ensure we are keeping children here and knowing we can be a centre of excellence despite being in a grammar school county, so it's exciting times.”