All pupils go back to school

Following government guidelines, Kell Bank, near Masham, was able to open for the first ‘bubble’ in early June, when Reception and Y1, returned to class.

“They made full use of Kell Bank’s outdoor learning space, in beautiful countryside surroundings, in the wonderful weather,” said spokesman.

“They have been enjoying indoor and outdoor lessons with time and space for long-awaited catch ups and fun picnics!

“It has been great to hear their chatter and laughter, and to see them enjoying each other’s company.

“The mental health and well-being of each child has been the utmost priority and the children have been encouraged to share and talk about their experiences during lockdown.”

To support the transition of the Y6 children, they joined a class at Thornton Watlass, making new friends in preparation for their move to secondary school in September.

“The children from Kell Bank are enjoying their time at Thornton Watlass and have been taking part in socially distanced activities for the North Yorkshire School Games Virtual Team Challenges.

“They have also been busy in the classroom, working on the Road Trip USA topic.”

From June 22, the ‘second bubble’ has allowed the rest of Kell Bank pupils to have some time in school before the summer break.

“The weather has been kind, so they have had lots of outdoor learning,” added the spokesman.

“A challenge was set to create a skeleton from natural things and they did an excellent job with a good deal of accuracy, including metatarsals and phalanges!

“All pupils have been celebrating ‘Diversity Week’, exploring the differences and similarities between each other and the realisation that it is hard to predict what people are like by looks alone.”

An art project continues on the topic.