PUPILS went bonkers for conkers last week when Whitefield Community Primary School enjoyed a whole school conker hunt in Heaton Park.

As part of the school's harvest week learning the entire school, from nursery to Year 6, gathered in the park for a day of outdoor lessons and traditional games.

Schoolchildren also enjoyed a woodland walk in search of conkers, before a sunshine soaked picnic, and a chance to play games on the field.

The outdoor learning proved a hit with staff and pupils, including Year 6 pupil Kaiden Myall who said: "I enjoyed everything about the day, and I loved the wooden sculptures and hidden artwork in the woods."

Year 1 pupil Olivia Heap added: "I enjoyed seeing squirrels and eating a picnic in the fresh air."

Whitefield Community Primary School regularly encourage their pupils to learn outdoors, including with Scandinavian-inspired Forest School lessons, and by growing vegetables and planting flowers.

The school says such lessons are an excellent way to inspire creativity, developing motor skills, and encourage exploring and risk taking in the natural environment, as well as questioning and learning about wildlife.

Headteacher Martin Van Hecke said: "We are very lucky to have access to some amazing green spaces in Whitefield.

"Our school curriculum is built around the outdoors and how the children are inspired through their work outside.

"Our visit to Heaton park has been used to support reading, writing and maths across the curriculum.

"The children are using the items they collected in the park to support their work on Autumn and our Harvest Festival next week."