A SCHOOL reunion is taking place for former classmates who first met half a century ago.

Joanne Colyer, from Gosfield, attended the old Halstead Grammar School.

The school opened in 1945, with Joanne starting there in 1972.

She was there for three years before it merged with Earls Colne Grammar School and Halstead Secondary School to become the Ramsey School - now Ramsey Academy.

This September it will be 50 years since she started at the school, and now Joanne is hoping to organise a reunion with her fellow classmates.

She said: “We were a close-knit group - our whole year group only had about 30 of us.

“I just thought about how crazy 50 years is and thought it would be nice to try and have a reunion.

“I know some still live in the area, some have sadly passed away and others moved away, but I hope through social media and local news travelling we can sort something.

“It might be helpful to let everyone know my maiden name, Joanne Tolfts, which people will know me for.”

Joanne is also part of the Old Girls Association, made up of ex-students at the school, who have two get-togethers every year.

She said: “The association has an annual meal at the Colne Valley Golf Club, that is on October 2, so I was hoping to have the reunion at that meal.

“I enjoy going to them. It is great talking about memories of the school, teachers, things you remember, things that happened, it is just nice to reminisce.

“I haven’t spoken to some people in decades. We did a reunion 30 years ago or thereabouts and managed to get a few of us.

"It would be nice to get as many as possible again.

“We are also hoping to recruit more to the association. We need to find some more younger members of the school to be a part of the group.

“There was my year and the two below us that were at the school and that was it before it converted. We would love for the group to keep going.”

To contact Joanne about the reunion, email joanne_colyer@yahoo.co.uk.