The Epping Primary School's extended family came out on Wednesday afternoon to celebrate its tenth birthday.

Pupils paraded around the playground year-by-year in front of a large crowd of appreciative teachers, parents and guardians at the end of a month of celebrations.

In September 2008 the school opened after amalgamating the old Epping Infant and Epping Junior Schools, which had been separate entities on different sites.

A month of birthday celebrations began on the official decade anniversary on September 3 and included a picnic, a treasure hunt and a celebratory stay-and-play after school, as well as visiting circus experts The Workshop Company paid for by the Friends of Epping Primary.

After welcoming the visitors Julie Taylor, chair of governors, said: "I can't believe it was ten years ago that I was standing on this playground for the opening of this school.

"We were using our new name and we were wearing our purple uniform for the first time."

As a small cloud of fruit flies buzzed around the audience, two Year 4 pupils read out some Epping Primary facts, including that there are currently 14 classes filled with 420 pupils, sourced from 229 families.

Then the year groups set off on their processions.

First were the early years or reception class pupils, who proudly showed off their handmade hats crested with large purple paper stars.

Then Year 1 stomped along in a big line, singing a ten part song.

Year 2 exhibited paintings of the school logo, before members of the first cohort Freya and George - who are currently in Year 10 at Epping St John's - took the crowds on a trip down memory lane.

Freya reminisced about a time when a fox broke in and the school went into frenzied lock down, and George earned 'awws' and 'George!s' respectively when he thanked his favourite teachers, and told the pupils how to steal footballs from the sports equipment cupboard.

Year 3 displayed booklets they had made about the school, Year 4 sang a rousing medley of best-selling songs from the last decade, Year 5 cheerfully sported Viking hats and finally Year 6 delivered songs they had learnt at PGL.

A ticket to Marsh Farm was then presented to Caleb Warton who had won the anniversary family challenge.

Headteacher Tracy O'Donnell said: "Thank you for today, yesterday and the last ten years.

"I am very proud and honoured to work here. I look forward to the next ten years.

"I'd like to say a particular thank you for the hard work and dedication to the 20 members of staff that have been here for ten years."

Those committed few were given a flower in the school's signature purple, to plant and keep for the next decade.

Kerrie Dale, a parent, said: "I have had three kids and it has been a wonderful experience for all of them.

"I have had some really nice things home from them, such as a gecko's habitat."