PUPILS from Cundall Manor School, near Ripon, take part in a scuba diving session, part of the school’s newly-launched enrichment programme.

The programme aims to provide pupils with skills and experience beyond those covered by the National Curriculum.

As well as the scuba diving, it includes allt ypes of dance from street and hip hop to Latin American, circuit training, trail running, yoga, gymnastics, dressmaking, computer games, debating, interior design, music technology, music- making, fashion illustrating and an Apple App club.

Headmaster Richard Notman said: “While the National Curriculum is very important, school should also be about preparing children for everyday life.

“The enrichment programme has been introduced to help pupils develop broader interests and skills across a diverse and wide range of subjects.”

The programme gives all pupils age four to 16 two productive 50-minute slots within the school timetable to learn different skills of their own choice.

Its introduction has also seen a change to traditional school timetables such as assembly now taking place at the end of the day, not at the start, which is now reserved for lessons, when minds are most fresh.