PUPILS at a North-East school have helped to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by planting trees, dressing up, and entertaining their parents.

Polam Hall School, in Darlington, entered into the Jubilee spirit in style, with staff also joining in the fun by wearing fashions dating back through The Queen’s reign.

The festivities culminated in a Jubilee Celebration Day, with two trees – an oak and a sycamore – being planted in the school’s picturesque grounds as part of The Queens “Green Canopy” initiative.

The trees were planted by pupils Oscar Freer and Miles Etherington, who had grown them from seeds when they were nursery age. Their childminder at the time, Gillian Parkin, is now a member of Polam Hall’s support staff and she brought the trees into the school to be planted.

Oscar and Miles were helped by house captains Daisy Ripley, Harriet Goodwin, Matthew Buckingham, and Cicely Morgans, and all the pupils at the school gathered to watch the planting ceremony.

During the week leading up to the celebration day, each class had been researching a different decade since the 1950s and learning a song and dance from that period to perform in front of their parents.

Each pupil learned to write garden party invitations for their parents, senior staff and school officials, encouraging them to bring picnics onto the school field to watch traditional games being played on the school fields.

Lunch for the pupils was a traditional afternoon tea, and the school was decorated with red, white and blue bunting and flags.

Sarah Goodwin, Head of Juniors, said: “It has been a fantastic week. The children have loved learning about the monarchy and the Royal Family, and everyone has really entered into the spirit of the historic occasion.”

Elizabeth Crosby, Head of Infants, added: “We’ve all had a lot of fun – teachers included – and it’s been lovely to end the week outside in the sunshine, planting the trees, and bringing families together. After the challenges of the past few years, with the pandemic and lockdowns, it’s been a breath of fresh air.”

All the pupils and staff were also presented with commemorative pin badges, funded by Polam Hall Parents Association.