PUPILS are celebrating their school’s success in style in the company of a host of weird and wonderful creatures.

Snakes, spiders, hairless guinea pigs and bearded dragons brought dread and delight to staff and pupils at Beaumont Hill Academy, part of the Education Village Academy Trust, Darlington, as they celebrated their latest Ofsted report with an immersive learning experience.

Crazy Creatures North East brought in a host of creepy and cute animals ranging from fluffy rabbits to a caramel-coloured Burmese python for pupils to study.

Ofsted inspectors published a report this month, determining the school for special needs students is Good overall, making huge progress from its former state of special measures.

Staff, governors and pupils have been working tirelessly to restore standards since its last inspection two years ago, when it was deemed to be Inadequate.

Principal Caroline Green said: “Achieving Good again has given us the very best start to the year and we wanted to celebrate with an event which our pupils would be remember for years to come.

“There was an incredible buzz throughout the school all day and our children benefitted massively as it stimulated their learning and boosted their communications skills and self-confidence.”

The school is part of the Education Village, in Darlington, which comprises Beaumont Hill Academy, Haughton Academy, and Springfield Academy.

Primary school-aged pupils at Springfield are also enjoying their time at the Salters Lane South site, with more than 230 children being offered the chance to enjoy a full breakfast before lessons.

The school was awarded a start-up grant by the new National School Breakfast Programme, funded by the Department for Education and delivered by the charities Family Action and Magic Breakfast.

It now receives free, healthy breakfast food, delivered direct to the door for four terms and funds to buy necessary equipment such as toasters or a freezer.

Springfield assistant head teacher Lynne Simpson said: “Many children miss breakfast at home and struggle as they are distracted by their hunger.

“We now take orders the day before so we know how many breakfasts to make.

"Our head boy Daniel Halliday and head girl Grace Alderson deliver the bagels and there is jam and honey as well as cereals."