Lessons were off the timetable at St Michael’s Primary School on Monday morning when pupils and staff celebrated becoming an academy.

To mark the occasion 370 coloured balloons – one for every child – were let into the air, each one carrying a tag to see which would travel the farthest. Prizes will be handed out for those returned.

The youngest pupil at the school, Daisy, and one of the eldest, Rowan, cut a ribbon to mark the launch and a celebratory cake was enjoyed.

During the afternoon the junior pupils were able to take part in a disco, while the infants had children’s entertainer Jiggely Jane to amuse them.

The day entered with a tea party.

Not only was the school celebrating taking on academy status but also coming out of special measures, with Ofsted ruling the good as raising its standards from “inadequate” to “good” in less than two years.

Headteacher Shaun Perfect said: “After all their hard work in the last 20 months we wanted to give something back to the children. I think they had a wonderful day.”

On the face of it, parents and children should see no day-to-day difference from converting to an academy. The main change relates to how the school is funded, directly from the government rather than through Cornwall Council.

The school is now the first member of the Pilgrim’s Way Multi-Academy Trust, sponsored by the Diocese of Truro, and it is hoped other schools will now join.

It will also remain an associate member of the Southerly Point Co-operative Trust, incorporating 18 schools in the Helston and Lizard area.

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