May the dance be with you, say staff and pupils at Ghyll Royd (From Ilkley Gazette)

May the dance be with you, say staff and pupils at Ghyll Royd

11:17am Thursday 15th December 2011 in Features

The force was with staff and pupils at a school enjoying a range of activities and events in the build-up to Christmas.

Teachers and children dressed up as Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and a host of other famous characters from the Star Wars films as part of a special fitness extravaganza at the Ghyll Royd School in Burley-in-Wharfedale.

The youngsters were given opportunities to develop their leadership skills by choreographing and teaching different dance routines to the rest of the school, as part of an event organised by Nicky Wilce, who also runs a Sensible Soccer extra-curricular club.

Headteacher Irene Connor, who is leaving the school at Christmas after eight years in charge to head off to Sir Lanka, said: “We have a long association with Nicky who runs a very popular club at the school during term time and during the holidays to include children from other schools as well.

“We were all impressed by the co-ordination and energy of the children and some had gone to a great deal of effort to organise their costumes.”

Other pre-Christmas events have included a Christmas coffee morning and a children’s bazaar where pupils chose presents for their family which were then wrapped and labelled.

The pre-school nativity and Key Stage 1 production of ‘It’s a Baby’ were successful with all the children playing a part to produce a spectacle of singing and performance.

Older pupils made a special visit to Stockeld Park, near Wetherby, for an afternoon of skating and skiing.

Events still to come include the Interhouse Quiz, Christmas lunch and parties, the carol service at St Michael’s Church, in Burley, and Mrs Connor’s final assembly.