PUPILS from Fearns Community Sports College, Stacksteads, used discarded rubbish to make toys as part of a culture lesson.

The exercise, carried out by Year seven and eight students looked at life in South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.

The toys were designed to mimic those made by African children living in poverty.

Assistant headteacher Clare Lomax said: “We decided to use the curriculum challenge to look at culture because we wanted to broaden the horizons of the children and increase their understanding of what it is like to live in different parts of the world, particularly for their peer group.”

“The curriculum challenge was to instil and encourage the whole school to empathise, respect and value diversity.”

Bethany Starkie, 12, from Year seven, said: “I made a snail because children in Africa do not have what we have here.

“It was hard to do and was really challenging. I appreciate now how difficult their lives must be.”