A primary school transformed into a 1950s style educational institute to celebrate its diamond jubilee this week.

Children from Lovelace Primary School donned period costumes and went to classes in different subjects - just as they did 60 years ago when the school officially opened its doors.

Although they all escaped the cane, administration assistant Christine Monk said: "The children had to behave well - just as they would have done then.

"They all swapped around to go to various classes with different teachers for different subjects. It was really fun."

She added hungry children also enjoyed the traditional bangers and mash for lunch and took part in a country dancing tea party during the week.

Surrey Comet:

Children celebrate their school's 60th anniversary in 1950s costume 

Lovelace began as Lovelace County Primary - opening its doors on April 16, 1951 with 120 pupils and no playground.

By 1953 there were 308 children with more than 50 students in each class.

Dolly Lee was the Mansfield Road school’s first headteacher and she remained in post for about 25 years.

The school however, was just not big enough for all students. The completion of a junior wing in 1954 added nine new classrooms and signalled the arrival of Lovelace County Infants’ and Lovelace County Junior, which celebrates its 60 years this year.

A spokesman from Lovelace said: "The schools were ‘state of the art’ when it first opened and Surrey County Council envisaged that it would be a model replicated county-wide.

"The Surrey Comet newspaper commented ‘the new school is a fine example of modern, functional architecture’."

But a fire, the construction of the strongly-opposed Esher by-pass and the amalgamation of the infants’ and junior schools has not stopped the school growing.

The spokesman added: "Over the years various building have been added to including the swimming pool, a new nursery and the North Wing.

"Of course we commence building work once again in October 2014 to provide a further eight classrooms.

"Some sixty years after the school began, the school continues to grow."