HADE Edge Junior and Infants School has been a spellbinding place this week.

New headteacher Jeff Kilner, staff and pupils have attended a “Wizard School” where the whole curriculum has shifted to have a Harry Potter theme.

Mr Kilner, who previously worked in Barnsley is keen to create a fun and exciting learning atmosphere to ensure children love coming to school.

“My aim is to change the traditional school week every so often and focus on a theme to make it fun and exciting and different. We will still be concentrating on the core subjects of English, maths and science but enriching them through a variety of activities. It’s all about making sure the children get a staple diet of the National Curriculum subjects but in a fun and creative way.”

The school lunch menu as well as the curriculum have also been transformed as part of the week with worms in cauldrons (spaghetti and meatballs), smelly breath bread (garlic bread), witches pillows (ravioli), magic beans and frogs in swamp juice (fruit jelly) being included on the menu. All have proved a big hit with students with the kitchen staff noting an uptake in the children who have eaten a school lunch during the week.

Mr Kilner revealed that the week had been planned in secret with the “Wizard School” sign highlighting the events to children and parents when they arrived on Monday morning.

Cloaks, wands and hats were quickly handed out to get children straight into the spirit of the event and staff were also encouraged. Even the Examiner reporter who visited conducted her interview and took her photographs while wearing a star-covered cloak.

During English lessons pupils wrote positive affirmations which were then rolled into special compartments in their wands for successful spellmaking during the week. They also created folding spell books as well as been wizards with maths during numeracy classes.

Cockroach biscuits were created as part of design and technology skills and in foundation stage children made decorated spider buns as well as searching through cold spaghetti for plastic spiders in the traditional sand pit.

A dragon’s egg found in the school at the beginning of the week was the focus for other activities and storytelling with the theme developing as the week continued.

Staff from Kirklees libraries also visited with the library bus where children were treated to special storytimes with a wizard theme.

The Wizard week culminated with a special celebration for parents, grandparents and friends of the school so they could learn what the children had been creating during the week. This included poetry recitals, songs and displays of folding books and other art and design work which children had completed.

And the Wizard Week’s success means future events are already being planned and debated with a week with a fairytale theme possibly being included next in the school calendar.

Mr Kilner added: “This is such a lovely school. It’s a small school with a strong community sprit and we want to keep that thriving to ensure all our children succeed.”