A history of Alton College has been written by Mike Gray, its founder and the principal for its first quarter century.

It opened in 1978 as Hampshire’s only purpose-built sixth form college and was described by The Sunday Times as an “A-level powerhouse”.

Mr Gray has written about the college and those involved in its planning and expansion, plus the curriculum, staff and students, who came in large numbers from much of east Hampshire as well as parts of Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex.

In Loco Parentis: Alton in the Golden Age of the Sixth-Form College has been published in a limited edition and is being sold exclusively through the Friends of the Curtis Museum and Allen Gallery, who will use all the proceeds from sales to benefit their work.

It is 200 pages with 14 pages of illustrations. Alton historian Jane Hurst will sell copies for £7.50 on September 10 at the Everything Local market in the Public Gardens. For more details email [email protected]