From walking a tightrope to riding a unicycle, Taverham students enjoyed learning about the magic of the circus before putting on their own very special show.

Pupils from Taverham Hall School's Pre Prep spent Thursday taking part in Magic Carpet Theatre's Circus Avago workshop which gave them the chance to have a go at a huge range of circus acts including juggling plates on sticks, walking on stilts, and learning the tricks of being a clown.

In the afternoon they put on their grand performance to a packed audience.

The show saw Callum Richardson, from year two, take on the role of ringmaster, and five-year-old Poppy Davies was the top of the human pyramid.

Poppy said: 'I was not scared at all. It was really fun!'

The circus day was part of the pre prep's special activity week last week in which teachers and pupils abandoned their normal timetable and instead did a number of themed activities each day.

Lindsey Davies, head of pre prep, said: 'We hold an activity week each year.

'It is a very special week that children always remember.

'They have an enormous amount of fun but they are also learning key life skills – working as a team, communicating, making choices and using their own initiative.'

On the Monday the children made puppets - the reception children made stick puppets of animals and people, year one made fish puppets, and year two made finger puppet characters.

On the Tuesday they enjoyed a forest school which involved them going for a woodland walk and doing a spring scavenger hunt to spot evidence of spring arriving.

There was a science investigation day on Wednesday which involved challenges such as creating bridges strong enough to support a toy car, making grand structures to hold a precious marble, and making gingerbread biscuits.

On Friday staff and students came to school dressed as a character from their favourite book.

The children also took part in a sponsored read and made bookmarks.