MANY of their grandparents would have celebrated the Coronation and 60 years on, children across Ryedale entered into the spirit of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Tea parties, fancy dress and lots of red, white and blue were the themes of the celebrations at local schools, along with games and competitions.

Pickering Junior School held a ‘big lunch’ with parents invited to join the fun, followed by an afternoon of fun activities.

Teacher Sarah Fox said all the staff, governors and Friends of the School had organised the event which included maypole dancing, singing the National Anthem, a hat parade and flag making.

“The school council organised an art project through Arts Projects for Schools, to enable every pupil to design their own Jubilee mug and their designs have been transferred onto white ceramic mugs as a keepsake,” she said.

Pupils at Kirkbymoorside Primary School were invited to dress as kings and queens and enjoyed a street party at the school, while Norton Community Primary School youngsters wore red, white and blue for the day.

At West Heslerton, a model of the Queen and some of her corgis, joined lessons for the week which ended with a community party for the children and villagers.

Luttons Primary School invited parents and local people to a tea party, with many of the biscuits and cakes made by the children during their after-school baking club.

The pupils wore red, white and blue and were invited to decorate a fabric tile to make a wall hanging to commemorate the event.

School governor Rachel Macdonald said the children had worked hard to prepare for the party.

She said: “The Queen’s Jubilee is a great opportunity to bring communities together and open the school gates to welcome friends old and new.”

Picnic is party highlight

AMOTHERBY Community Primary School celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on Thursday with a picnic lunch for all the pupils and parents.

Younger children from the local Meadowfield nursery were also invited to join the fun and games.

Pupils had spent the week researching facts about the Queen’s life and her 60-year reign. Martin Dales, chairman of governors, planted a jubilee tree in the school grounds to mark the occasion and the children all entered a competition to create a portrait of the Queen.

All the youngsters entered into the spirit of the day by wearing red, white and blue and Mrs Clemit, the school cook, prepared a Jubilee cake.

Mrs Harding, Class Two teacher, who had attended the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May, was invited to cut the cake and she even wore her garden party outfit for the occasion.

The school orchestra and the Salvation Army band played during the lunchtime celebrations.

In a special assembly at the end of the day, the Rev Bowes from St Helen’s Church, Amotherby, presented all the children with a commemorative Jubilee Bible.

• OUR photographers have been kept extra busy making sure we’ve got pictures of all the local celebrations and events for your favourite Ryedale newspaper.

All these pictures are available to buy and as a special treat, you can receive a 20 per cent discount on Diamond Jubilee celebration pictures.

Order online using promotional code JUBILEE12 or phone 01904 567135. Offer ends June 30.

Share your special day’s events with us by emailing your pictures to gazette@gazetteherald.co.uk