Students past and present were given the opportunity to mingle at a special coffee morning to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Tolworth Girls’ School last week.

The school, in Fullers Way North, hosted the event for former students and staff to come together with newbies to celebrate the milestone birthday.

Students performed a music and a dance show and gave former Tolworth Girls’ a tour around the site on July 18.

But it was Gladys Whitney, formerly known as Gladys Dale, who was the star guest on the day.

The 91-year-old ex-student who attended the school in 1933 when she lived in Hamilton Avenue, Tolworth, said: “Oh my goodness I only recognised the outside of the building – inside has been completely altered.

“I sat there and thought this is not the same school.

“All our writing was done in ink and if you blotted it you got in trouble and you could get the cane – of course now there are computers.”

“In my day it was very strict. We were to be brought up like young ladies.

“Nowadays teachers and students have a different relationship. We were almost in fear of the teacher.

“Miss Grant – the headteacher – ruled that school.

“If we were seen outside with our tie not quite straight or without our hat on, we got detention. We had to be little ladies.

“We had nothing to do with boys. They were like a different planet to us.”

She said she particularly enjoyed geography, science and art although she was not particularly good at the latter.

Now living in sheltered housing in Walton following the death of her husband, Mrs Whitney said: “They were so kind when I went back. They made me feel like a VIP – it was really lovely. I got spoilt for the day.”