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The school had two playgrounds. The school entrance through the back playground was along Avenue Road. That's where we came into school in the morning. We played games such as hopscotch and oranges and lemons here! There was a large grey metal climbing frame next to the school building which we were never allowed to play on. I spent many hours looking for 'diamonds' in the gravelled playground. I think someone must have started a rumour that there were diamonds in the gravel but I never found any!! The front playground overlooked the high street and there was a painted line on the ground which we were never allowed to cross, next to the high chain link fence. This stopped us getting too near strangers passing by. The school playing field was another great place for us to run around and play hide and seek in. There were a couple of large trees which had swings attached made out of old car tyres. You wouldn't have that today. It would be deemed too dangerous!

Sports days were held on the playing field. There were egg and spoon, two legged races, running and sack races. My memories of these days were of bright sunshine and looking out to see if my Mum had arrived.

The inside of the school was made up of, what seemed to me at the time, large Victorian classrooms, one or two halls and a library. The library must have been newly decorated at the time as it was the only room that I remember had carpet. It had thick cream carpet and we were only allowed to go in there a couple at a time. The other rooms in the school had polished floors. I can picture the polished flight of dark steps leading up to Mrs Bates office. This was off the hall near the main entrance. I think I only went in there once and I can't for the life of me think what for! There was a ceramic or plastic parrot on its perch sitting outside her door. The hall at the front of the school was where we had PE and maybe assembly (I can't remember). I do remember harvest festival in there - the sight of fruit, vegetables, tins, bunches of flowers etc all displayed on the stage while we sang 'We Plough the Fields and Scatter …'.

Although we must have had the normal set lessons the only ones I really recall with great detail are pottery afternoons. We were given great chunks of clay to play with and I made an ash tray made from the outline of a horse chestnut tree leaf, and a yellow sausage like man. These were fired in the kiln, we painted them and then they were fired again. A few years ago when my brothers and I were sorting out our late parents house, my older brother found my yellow man. I have my 'shepherd' sitting on my dressing table. It has 'Tina' scribbled into the clay underneath.

One place I tried not to go to if I could help it was the school toilets! I think there were two lots of toilets but if we were playing outside we had to use the loos nearest to the playground. These were brick built. Inside they were smelly, damp and you were lucky if you found a toilet that wasn't blocked with loo paper. The walls were whitewashed, green with algae and I was very frightened of the wood lice and spiders crawling about!

When I first started school I went home for midday dinner. After a while I stayed for school lunch. In those days very few children had packed lunch. Dinners were served in a large corrugated 'hut' next to the school. We lined up around the inside of the 'hut' to wait our turn for dinner. Some meals were really nice and others disgusting! I loved butterscotch tart but there was never enough for seconds. Another time I was kept in all dinnertime by one dinner lady. I had some kind of stew for dinner that day and she was keen to make me eat every last mouthful. Even a thick piece of fat which she tried to conceal amongst some mash potato. There was NO WAY I was going to eat that and she eventually had to let me go to my next lot of lessons!

One afternoon we were playing in the back playground when to our amazement a couple of clowns on stilts came walking by the school gate. They were advertising the circus which was to be in the field at the end of De Burgh Park. They stood there and scattered handfuls of free tickets into the playground. What a wonderful sight that was! In fact we all went to the circus not long after and had a great afternoon watching the acts in the big tent.

At this time my Mum enrolled me for ballet classes at the ballet school in Woodmansterne Lane (near the well). I think it used to be an old barn. I went there straight from school and enjoyed the dressing up in the ballet outfit as much as the dancing itself. One day I arrived and was so tired from school that, even though I was all kitted out in my ballet outfit, I wouldn't go in. Mum had to take me home and I refused to go again!

After the Infant School I went on to attend Banstead Middle School and later Nork Park, but that's another story!

Tina L Claydon (nee Watson)
July 2005