Gloucestershire school celebrates Year 6 school leavers

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It is the last week of school for most children across the West Country and after a year of ups and downs, many, including parents and teachers, will be relieved to make it to the summer holidays. 

It has been a chaotic year, with trips cancelled and parents unable to watch sports day. But as Year Six pupils prepare to move on from St Mary's Primary School in Tetbury, the staff are determined to give them the send off they deserve.

Headteacher Mrs Woolley said: "We have done everything we can, within the system of controls we are working within to provide them with a special experience for the end of their primary school years.

"They're going to have a BBQ. They've been on a day trip out as year group and just at the end of this term we have been able to bring them together as a year group bubble which is what they really wanted and really missed."

Children will perfor, their end of year play but because of Covid restrictions parents will receive a recording. Credit: ITV News

For the past five weeks, the Year 6 group have been rehearsing 'Ali Baba and the Bongo Bandits' for their end of year play. Covid restrictions mean there cannot be an audience; parents will get a recording instead.

Student Noah Grant said: "The play was really fun because we can come together as two classes. We can chat to eat other and laugh about things when we make mistakes as we haven't see each other for ages."

Students have spent all but the last half of this term in class bubbles, meaning they are unable to socialise with other children in their year. For the past six weeks they have moved to year group bubbles.

The school have created an art installation to remember the last year. Credit: ITV News

Student Connor Kennet said: "It's been really hard for me to see my friends, all I want to do is have a kick around with a football at The Rec with my mates."

Another student, Martha Frost-Mullen added: "It's been quite hard because everything has been a bit mismatched because we haven't had a full year. We've had home learning then school learning."

St Mary's Primary School was one of the first schools in the country to have a positive coronavirus case amongst its staff. Since then, some children have had to isolate individually but whole bubbles have remained at school and there have been no more positive cases amongst the school community.

The 'St Mary's Rocks!' art installation. Credit: ITV News

To mark the pandemic, the school has also installed an art installation. Children were asked to paint a pebble that when put together created a positive memorial of this time.

The art installation, is a collaboration between children, teachers and school governors and has been installed by the PTFA at the front entrance, so everyone currently at school has time to enjoy it.