MORE than 750 students and teachers at a North-East school have donned Christmas jumpers and Santa hats in aid of a global children’s charity.
Pupils and staff at Polam Hall School, in Darlington, took part in a Christmas Jumper Day and a school-wide Santa Dash in aid of Save the Children.
Children in every year group participated, from Reception class to Year 11, staying in their social distancing bubbles while running laps of the school’s expansive grounds and playing fields.
Sara-Jane Hardy, Polam’s vice principal of character and inclusion, said: “We always planned to support the annual Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day, and though adding on a ‘bubbled’ Santa Dash involving so many children seemed like madness at first, it has been amazing.
“In these unprecedented times, it is lovely to see such energy, enthusiasm, and community spirit from the children, especially at the end of a challenging term.”
Children made a small donation to the 101-year-old charity in return for wearing their Christmas clothing to school and taking part in the fun run, and have raised more than £500 so far.
They finished the day by filming their annual nativity play, since live performances had to be cancelled due to Covid.
Year 7 student, Sophie Robinson, said: “It’s been brilliant. It’s great to know we are helping to improve children’s lives at Christmas.”
Martha Gibbon, also in Year 7, added: “It’s really nice that the teachers are joining in too!”
Polam students also recently broke school records when they donated enough food items to create more than 120 food hampers for Durham-based charity Feeding Families.
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