Darlington's Red Hall Primary School celebrates its 50th birthday

Red Hall Primary School first opened its doors in January 1973, although it looked rather different back then.

It is now a very colourful place, and when The Northern Echo popped down for a look around, we were blown away by the lovely atmosphere.

Staff and pupils past and present went along to the school on Wednesday (June 21) to reminisce and talk about how things have changed over the years.

Julie Davidson, current head of Red Hall Primary in Darlington, and Geoff Garrett, who was head from 1982 to 1995. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Read more: Gogglebox co-creators visit Darlington college to inspire next generation

Geoff Garrett was headmaster at Red Hall Primary from 1982 to 1995 and although lots has changed at the school since then, much of the school’s overall feel is very much the same.

Mr Garrett told The Northern Echo: “There are more staff now but the school has always done its best for the children and there might be more technology now and ways of teaching may have changed, but it has always been a lovely school.

“I had 14 very enjoyable years here.”

The school had put together a ‘mini museum’ of Red Hall throughout the decades, complete with old school pictures, the school in the news, and various uniforms.

Red Hall Primary School's 'mini museum'. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Read more: Why this Darlington dad is walking 90km this month for cervical cancer awareness

Read more: Amazon and Darlington Council among employers at town's 'biggest ever jobs fair'

Read more: Cooplands closes branch in Darlington amid over 40 national closures

Present pupils looked through the displays and one young boy said: “I can’t believe the school used to look like that.”

Many past pupils have since trained in education and now work at the school. We spoke to Debbie Hayman about her work with children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) issues.

An extension on the school which is local authority-run is not exclusively for Red Hall pupils, but for children in Darlington for whom conventional classroom teaching is not suitable.

Geoff Garrett, headmaster at Red Hall Primary School in Darlington from 1982 to 1995. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

To get more stories direct to your email basket go here.

Ms Hayman said: “There’s a very calming atmosphere here. We have relaxing music, and dimmed lights, and we also have breakout rooms if a child gets too overwhelmed.

“I loved coming to school here but I probably didn’t appreciate it enough at the time. It’s just a lovely school all round.”

Julie Davidson, who has been head teacher since 2013, told us: “The school has changed hugely in the even the last ten years. I think there’s a reason past pupils come back as staff.”

Red Hall Primary School's 'mini museum'. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Debbie Hayman, a past pupil who now works at Red Hall. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Red Hall Primary in the 2010s. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Red Hall Primary in the 1980s. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Red Hall Primary in the noughties. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)

Pictures from Red Hall from the 1970s and 1980s. Picture: Aja Dodd, Newsquest (Image: Aja Dodd, Newsquest)