FORMER staff, councillors and county education chief Pat Black were there to join celebrations in 1992 when a £350,000 project to revamp North Walney Primary School was completed.

County education committee chairman Alan Nicholson — a councillor for North Walney — planted a tree and unveiled a plaque.

The Mail, on October 15, noted: "The rebuilding work follows the merger of the infant and junior schools in 1990.

"Five new classroom areas have been built incorporating art areas and a new library.

"And school governors have added to the design by building a link between the nursery area and the rest of the school."

Head teacher John Sharples said: "The children enjoy working in the new building and they and parents comment on its lightness and airiness."

The article noted: "Outside, the extensive grassed areas have been retained, along with a nature conservation corner developed with the help of Crossfields Adult Training Centre.

"Areas are set aside for further tree and shrub planting.

"A large hard play area has been floodlit and a smaller one is being developed into a child collecting and dropping off zone to encourage road safety."

Baking cakes and biscuits proved popular in December 1991 and pupils Kayleigh Steele and Karla Anderson dressed as firefighters to sell them and make £150 for a national cystic fibrosis campaign linked to the TV series London's Burning.

In December 1993 youngsters at the school joined forces with the Ulverston Conservation Volunteers to stop the erosion of a mud bank next to the playground slide.

In the previous year the pupils had built a wildlife garden and pond.

Equally strenuous were the efforts of school youngsters in playing for the soccer team.

In May 1993 the school won the Derek Morgan Cup and the Dick McIntosh Trophy for junior five-a-side teams.

The North Walney squad was Wesley and Courtney Gutkowski, Lee Sharif, Harry Gee, Stephen Richardson and Adam Jackson.

A school fashion show in April 1992 helped raise cash for play equipment in the new school extension.

Among the junior models were Harry Gee, Andrew Pratt and Darren Crawford.

Back in 1988 Anne, the Princess Royal, had been to Barrow to launch a submarine and pupils at North Walney won praise for work related to the ceremony.

The Mail, on May 12, noted: "They had been writing stories and drawing pictures about their visit to the launch of HMS Talent which Princess Anne attended last month."

It said: "The best picture and story were chosen and sent to Princess Anne who wrote back and thanked them."

In January 1998 the school's Ofsted inspection report described the school as a "supportive and caring community" that provided good support for children with special educational needs.

Head teacher John Sharples said: "The staff at the school are delighted that the inspectors have such confidence in the efforts."