GOING back to the classroom was a sweet treat for parents, grandparents and carers of new pupils at a Darlington school.

Longfield Academy laid on a fabulous feast of cakes, biscuits, tea and coffee as part of Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

Relatives and carers of the newly transitioned Year 7 pupils were invited in to share a tasty selection of cakes and biscuits, baked and bought by pupils and staff. The event provided an opportunity to meet teachers and to ask any questions they might have about the school.

The idea to hold the coffee morning came from two Year 8 pupils, Haydn Gunton and Harry Bramley, during a Personal Development lesson when they were learning about charities.

Haydn said: “I thought it would be a good idea and I asked Harry, who’s my best friend, what he thought, and then we spoke to Mrs Hickerson who said we could do it.”

It was the first time the school had held such an event, and it proved to be very popular.

Academy Administration Manager, Phillipa Donnison said: “It was lovely to welcome parents, grandparents and carers of pupils that have just transitioned into the school. We’re so thankful to all the staff, pupils and families that contributed both with cakes and monetary donations, and we’re delighted to be able to make a donation to such a worthy charity.”

Although there was no set charge for the goodies, people were asked to make a donation, and along with proceeds of a cake raffle, the school raised a total of £524.41 in just two hours.

Any biscuits and cakes left at the end of the coffee morning were sold to the rest of the school at break time, and the remaining will be donated to a local residential home.

Special thanks go to the pupils who assisted with the coffee morning; Harry Bramley, Haydn Gunton, Abby Dickinson, Keira Tinkler, Holly Goulding, Poppy Baldwin and Martha Creegan.