AN open day will give people a chance to visit a village school for the final time before its last pupils move into a new building and the old one is demolished.

West Cornforth Primary School will hold an event celebrating its life and character tomorrow from 10am to 3pm.

It will be the last opportunity for residents, former pupils and staff to reminisce about their time at the old school before it is pulled down in November.

Pupils will move into a new school building, built on the existing grounds in a £2.5m project, after the October half term break.

Though the public cannot access the new site yet they will be able to view photographs of its front wall for which more than 150 people have bought personalised, commemorative bricks in aid of school funds.

The old school opened in November 1926, for infants up to school leavers, following a baby boom after the First World War.

Displays by the school, local historians and Beamish Museum about the village’s schools, old behaviour books and lessons will feature in the open day.

And there will be information about those people from West Cornforth including former teachers, who fought in the First World War.

Headteacher Janet Sarsfield said: “It is a chance for parents, existing pupils and older residents, the whole community to come in see the school as it is now, reminisce about their memories and say goodbye to the building.

“I think the school itself is central part of the community, most people who live here came here as children and have some sort of connection so it is an historic time.”

Following the school open day, Andy Denholm of Cornforth History will hold a display about the village in the First World War at West Cornforth library from Thursday, October 2.

It will include photographs from his recent trip to the Western Front and information about more than 700 soldiers from West Cornforth and the nearby villages of East Howle, Tursdale and Metal Bridge who fought, died or survived the war.