THERE was plenty of cause for celebration back in 1992 as a Barrow school saw the ribbon cut on a major expansion project.

Barrow mayor, Cllr Joyce Fleet, was therein her civic robes and golden chains of office to officially open the £150,000 extension at Victoria Infant School.

The Mail, on September 1992, noted:”Two new classrooms at the rear of the Oxford Street school replace two mobile huts in the playground - one of which had been there since 1961. “After cutting the ribbon to cheers from the school’s 248 children, commemorative ballpoint pens were handed out to pupils and guests.”

In 1996 there was more expansion as the school gained 52 places at one of four new nurseries opened in the Barrow borough.

The Mail, on October 2 noted that the new nursery cost £85,000 and was part of a Cumbria County Council project designed to create 1,000 new places county-wide.

Headteacher Linda Spooner said: “I am delighted with our new nursery.

“I think the designer has done well in providing a bright, open atmosphere for children to develop and staff to work in.”

On Monday May 1 in 1995 The Mail described how pupils at the school became models for a day to show off the latest bright clothing styles and colours.

It noted: “They were helping George at Asda in the company’s launch of its latest children’s fashions.

“The range included everything from traditional straw hats to more jazzy American baseball team look. “There were stripes, hoops and checks on show, while styles ranged from shorts and T-shirts to dresses and denims.”

There were celebrations in 2008 as Ofsted inspectors said Victoria Infant and Nursery School was “a good school with some outstanding features”.

Headteacher Sue O’Neill said:”Children are learning well because they are taught well and the relationships and social interaction across the school is indeed outstanding.

“All this is due to a school community with a shared vision.”