Year 3 children at Edgeborough School in Frensham hosted a Design Technology Day for 60 Year 3 children from St Bartholomew’s Primary School in Haslemere which left both schools buzzing with excitement.

The day kicked off with a minibus pick-up service by Edgeborough of their young visitors and staff for a day that saw all the children enjoy a blend of practical and theoretical lessons, and gain a unique insight into the world of design technology.

Under the guidance of the teachers, the children were given the chance to bring their creativity and innovative thinking into play with hands-on activities, such as crafting wooden treasure chests – and at lunchtime the shared tables became a meeting ground for new friendships to blossom.

The day was held in advance of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) annual Partnerships Week, which celebrates the many different partnerships that take place between state and independent schools within their local communities.

Eighty-five per cent of independent schools that are part of the ISC are in partnerships with state schools, sharing expertise, best practice and facilities.

For Daniel Cox, headteacher at Edgeborough, encouraging partnerships with state schools to the benefit of all the children involved is a high priority.

He said: “The partnership days we hold with local schools are part of our commitment to fostering collaborative initiatives that broaden the horizons of pupils and strengthen community ties.

“It was a pleasure to welcome the pupils from St Bartholomew’s.

“Our children are the architects of tomorrow, so events like the Design Technology Day lay the foundation for a future built on innovation, teamwork and shared knowledge.”

Sarah Khan, Edgeborough’s partnerships co-ordinator, added: “This event was a fantastic opportunity for us to initiate our partnership work in the local community.

“We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the St Bartholomew’s children participate in the DT workshop, sharing ideas and focusing on their designs, as well as having a great time with our Year 3 children at breaktimes and lunch.”

St Bartholomew’s Primary School headteacher Simon Avenell said: “The children had a wonderful day designing and making their treasure chests.

“We were all made to feel so welcome by the staff and children at Edgeborough.

“Many excellent learning opportunities were provided.

“Some of the favourite moments for the children were using hacksaws, seeing a laser printer being used, working in a design technology workroom and coming home with a fantastic finished product.

“I know the children would love to work on future projects with Edgeborough.”