PUPILS, parents and staff at a York primary school staged a double celebration to mark their centenary.

New Earswick Primary School is celebrating not one but two important anniversaries this summer, with the Queen’s Jubilee followed by the school’s own centenary anniversary.

This week, children, parents and teachers from the school came together to celebrate its centenary with a street party lunch on Wednesday at the school.

Party-goers were dressed in traditional red white and blue, and took part in a picnic lunch followed by an hour of games.

Head teacher Carole Dickson said: “2012 is an exciting year for the school with the jubilee and our centenary anniversary, and we are looking forward to getting the children involved in the celebrations.”

The school, with 210 pupils, is at the heart of York’s garden village.

It was established in 1912 to serve the village, which was founded by chocolate entrepreneur and philanthropist Joseph Rowntree.

Today it is maintained by City of York Council and the Joseph Rowntree Trust and is one of the city’s children’s centres.

In recent history the school benefited from a £800,000 cash windfall in 2004 as part of the Labour Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme.

Coun Janet Looker, the council’s cabinet member for education, children and young people, said: “We want everyone in York to get into the spirit and celebrate the jubilee, but New Earswick has twice as much to celebrate.

“The jubilee is a chance for local communities to pull together, celebrate and have fun at the same time, so we’re thrilled that schools are getting involved.”