Sir Mick Jagger visited The Mick Jagger Centre at Dartford Grammar School in Kent on Wednesday 19th November to mark the 25th anniversary of the facility.
He opened The Mick Jagger Centre, home to the Dartford Music School and Dartford Symphony Orchestra, in 2000.
The centre launched a programme of events in October to mark its 25th anniversary.
The Rolling Stones singer advised the next generation of musicians to “work really hard and not give up” during a surprise visit to his former school.
The 82-year-old thanked music teachers at the performing arts centre who “inspired children and young people in their musical careers”.
Sir Mick said young people aiming for a career in music needed “a lot of luck” and to “work really hard at it and not give up”.
He said that “music wasn’t much of a career” when he was growing up, but added: “That all changed very, very quickly in the early 60s and I got on that bandwagon.”
The school’s headmaster, Julian Metcalf, said the return visit from Sir Mick was “very special and the icing on the cake”.
Sir Mick first met The Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards on a platform at Dartford station, forming a friendship that would lead to the band’s formation in 1962.
The town has several streets named after The Rolling Stones songs, including Little Red Walk, Angie Mews and Ruby Tuesday Drive.
