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Summer 2008 the school celebrated the arts by finding out and exploring cultural traditions in England.

As the village celebrated the Charter festival the school decided pupils would benefit from knowing more about cultural traditions in this country.

A programme of music, dance, cookery, house building, bee keeping, food and farming as well as printing, weaving, and painting (including canal ware) was organised by the staff, and visitors were invited into school to lead many of the workshops.

The week started with the building of a Tudor cottage, including woven panels, wattle and daub. The geese joined the school for the week along with ducks and mice.

The classes were introduced to Morris dancing, which we then performed for the Charter Festival.

There was also drumming and we sang traditional songs—what shall we do with the drunken sailor, and folk songs, accompanied by the teachers on their guitars and melodeon, which Mr Radford learnt to play specially to accompany our dancing and singing.

The week was declared the best ever. Some pupils got the chance to visit Paul Hand’s Tudor cottage and meet his animals including Truffle the pig.