PUPILS at a school in Stourport recently stepped back in time to experience life as a child in Victorian times.

Year 6 students from Burlish Park Primary School got a real taste of what school life was like in the late 19th century.

As part of their history curriculum studies, the pupils experienced washing dirty clothes using a dolly, dolly tub, and an original washboard outside, to wearing a dunce’s hat in class.

During traditional lessons of the three Rs - reading, writing and arithmetic - the children were taught in true strict Victorian fashion chanting their times tables and writing on old fashioned slates.

Roz Subert, teacher, said: “Following a visit to the Black Country museum last term we decided to take a step back in time and turn our modern day classroom into a Victorian one for three days.

“The children really enjoyed all the practical activities whilst learning and empathising how very different their lives would have been in Victorian times.

“All the children were very pleased that the cane had been abolished now they were at school.”

Elsewhere in the school, Year 4 pupils invited their parents and carers to join them in their woodland forest school area.

The parents and carers gave the children a helping hand in creating artwork using natural materials from the forest floor.

They based their work on the style of British land artist Andy Goldsworthy, who is famous for his art work using natural materials from his surroundings – wherever he may be.

Lynda Williams, forest school leader, said: “The children were really motivated and inspired by the work of Andy Goldsworthy and autumn is a great time of year to create land art.

“The rich autumn colours at this time of year create an amazing artist's palette to work with.

“Although it rained for the most of the afternoon a great time was had by parents and children alike.

“We created some fantastic woodland art which, in true Goldsworthy style, we photographed to record for posterity and then finished a wet fun filled afternoon with hot chocolate to warm everyone up.”