(Image: Supplied)
Students and staff at a Bishop Auckland school raised more than £644 at the school’s annual cancer fundraiser.
King James I Academy's Macmillan Coffee Morning collected the cash in September for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Organised by sixth-form mentor Linda Dixon and careers adviser Anne Goddard, the two-day event brought pupils and staff together over sweet and savoury treats in the Sixth Form Common Room.
Ms Dixon said: "Our Macmillan fundraiser gets bigger and better every year.
"We now run the coffee morning over two days because we receive so many more donated baked goods.
"It’s a fantastic opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause, but it’s also a brilliant social event."
Anne Goddard (left) and Linda Dixon (right) in the Sixth Form Common Room at King James. (Image: Supplied)
This year’s total was up from £521.41 last year.
The coffee morning is one of several fundraisers held at the academy each year.
Earlier that month, staff and students raised more than £2,500 for charity by running the Great North Run.
The academy raised nearly £11,500 for charity last academic year.
The school also gives pupils learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
Students see first-hand how the police uniform and truncheon developed in Victorian England. (Image: Supplied)
Year 11 history students recently visited the Ripon Prison and Police Museum to explore crime and punishment in Britain.
The museum, housed in the former Ripon Liberty Prison, shows the harsh realities of Victorian prisons and how policing evolved in Yorkshire.
Students explored the prison yard and atmospheric cells, and imagined the physical punishment inflicted on the whipping post and birching chair.
Ashleigh Paylor, director of learning for history, said: "It can be hard for young people to understand crime and punishment during the Industrial Revolution and appreciate how much our police and prison systems have evolved.
"However, this museum really brings home the horrific conditions faced by Victorian prisoners.
"Students learn so much, and they are keen to discuss and debate the topic back in the classroom, which is exactly what we want."
The academy says learning outside the classroom is crucial to pupils’ engagement and personal development.
Media students have also explored set design, costumes and props at Beamish Museum and Auckland Palace.
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Geography students have visited Seaham and Tindale Retail Park, while art and photography pupils visit locations for coursework.
Food technology students explore new cuisines in restaurants, while science pupils attend workshops at Durham University and Kielder Observatory.
Families considering Year 7 or sixth-form places for September 2027 can find information, request a tour and read the latest news on the school’s website: www.kingjames1academy.co.uk.