MORE than 100 current and past pupils, staff old and new, and supporters, the oldest being 90, attended Exford First School to celebrate a major milestone last week.

The tiny school was marking 150 years of serving Exford and surrounding villages and the outlying farms across central Exmoor.

The anniversary was marked by a service of rededication by the Bishop of Taunton, the Rt Rev Ruth Worsley, assisted by Exmoor benefice rector the Rev David Weir.

The occasion was bathed in bright sunshine and the school put on a display of memorabilia and photographs together with an Exmoor tea.

During the service, the children gave a history of the school and the Bishop in her address congratulated everybody on the tremendous support the school received from the village and the Church.

Headteacher Nicola Stenner spoke warmly of the dedication of her teaching and support staff and how proud she was of the children’s enthusiasm and commitment to learning.

Over the years the school has developed into its current model as a Church of England voluntary controlled first school in the Diocese of Bath and Wells and part of the Moorland Federation of first schools providing key early years learning close to home for the scattered communities across the national park.

Pupils spanning many generations still live and work in the village and continue to champion ‘their school’, which currently has 33 pupils aged two to nine years.

The Exford school recently received ‘Good’ ratings from two different education watchdogs, the Government’s Ofsted and the Church’s Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS).