A high school in mid-Norfolk has been showing prospective pupils around its facilities online to help put them at ease ahead of returning in September.

Northgate High School in Dereham has been hosting virtual tours over Facebook to allow new students to meet staff and see their new school ahead of September.

The school used live streaming earlier in the year on open evenings to allow wider access to the main talks and demonstrations in case parents or pupils couldn’t attend.

Ashley Darlow, assistant head teacher at the school, said: “In a change from our traditional communications we wanted to use a platform that was familiar to lots of people and felt a live stream would appeal to a larger proportion of our community.

“We had been discussing several methods of trying to open up the school to our new year sevens and wanted something personal and engaging that parents and pupils could interact with.

“We also wanted to show parents how the school was operating with the current Government guidelines regarding Covid-19 and reassure them that all safety requirements are in place now and will be there in September too.

“It is also lovely to be able to connect in a different way with pupils we have been unable to see during the lockdown and emphasise we are looking forward to welcoming all students back in September.”

The live stream, which was viewed by more than 1,100 people, was almost 20 minutes long and not only showed the vast facilities but also talked viewers through how the school had adapted to keep students safe.

The school has yellow and black tape on its floors to help students with social distancing along with posters reminding them to stay two metres apart.

Mr Darlow said: “We have had lots of positive reactions to the live stream. In addition to this we have a full transition package for our new students to help them settle in and all information is available on the school website under our year six transition tab. “