Friendships and fun as children from Highbury School teach Greetland Academy youngsters how to sign Toy Story song

Panther Class at Highbury Special School and a Year 4 class from The Greetland Academy recently visited each other as part of Calderdale's schools linking programme.

The scheme sees special schools partnered with a mainstream school so that children can build connections and friendships.

It is also aimed at helping to develop confidence in meeting new people and awareness, and understanding of people with disabilities.

First the schools explored their own identity and then sent this work to the other school so they could begin to get to know each other and to draw out the similarities and differences.

They then had an online meeting when they asked each other 'curiosity questions' in order to find out a little more about their new friends and played games together virtually.

When they met up face-to-face, the children from Highbury taught the Greetland children how to sign along to ‘You've Got a Friend in Me’ from Toy Story.

They also had a tour of each school and took part in some fun activities together and played games.

Greetland Academy Headteacher Helen Crowther said: “What an amazing afternoon Year 4 had with their friends from Highbury School. Just look at the joy on those faces!

"We are so lucky to be linked with such an amazing school.”

There are currently 16 primary Calderdale schools involved in the project but organisers at The Linking Network are looking for more.

For more details, email Sarah Hetherington at [email protected].