A SCHOOL has been celebrating the end of a multi-million pound project which has seen a major part of it rebuilt.

Welling School, Elsa Road, together with Bexleyheath School, Graham Road, have benefited from a £34m Private Finance Initiative project.

A new main building with a teaching resource centre, an assembly and dining hall and a sports centre, gym and dance studio have been built.

For the formal opening of its new buildings, the school looked back to its past, tracking down one of its oldest-surviving former pupils, 95-year-old Alfred Peaks.

Mr Peaks, from New Eltham, attended the school when it first opened in 1923.

He was invited to cut the ceremonial ribbon with the youngest member of today's school council, 11-year-old Scott Hunt.

The school still retains some of its original buildings, which have been refurbished, and its arts, science and technology blocks which were built 10 years ago.

Although Mr Peaks was the oldest former pupil found, the school tracked down many other pupils in their seventies and eighties who were invited to the opening ceremony, together with some families who had three generations of former pupils.

Many of them contributed mementos and photographs which were displayed on the day.

Other guests for the event included Bexley councillors and council officers, MP Derek Conway, neighbourhood police officers, residents, students and staff.

Speakers included headteacher Christine Jefferys, head boy David Rainbird and head girl Joanna Montague.

Skanska, the company which built the school, presented students with a time capsule and all of the guests were invited to sign a memory banner, to be buried for posterity.

After the formal ceremonies there were tours of the school, a buffet lunch and interviews with students for the school newspaper.