Dragons dance in school for Year of Snake

Reception pupils at Shaw Cross Infant and Nursery School on Leeds Road learned about the Chinese holiday as part of celebrations last week.

This year marks the Chinese Year of the Snake, and with celebrations falling on Sunday, pupils were told stories about why different years are associated with different animals in Chinese culture and also took part in a range of fun activities.

Children made Chinese lanterns and dragon puppets and took part in ribbon dancing before dressing up as the giant dragon to perform their own new year parade.

The celebrations culminated in reception class hosting a special assembly to the rest of the school where they were able to tell the other pupils about what they have learned and to show the items they had made.

School cooks also laid on a Chinese New Year lunch which the whole school were able to try traditional food.

Teacher Claire Plunkett said: “The children haven’t used the traditional method of eating though - chopstick practice has been limited to wool noodles in the classroom.”