CHILDREN at a Darlington primary school are celebrating Chinese New Year by taking a journey through eastern culture.

Skerne Park Academy, which recently took academy status under the guardianship of Hummersknott School, is hosting a celebration of Chinese food, language and entertainment to the pupils to mark the Year of the Snake, which started on Sunday (February 10).

The children started their celebrations on Wednesday (February 13), with a lesson in cooking authentic Chinese dumplings and stir fry.

Headteacher Kate Chisholm said: “We are very proud to bring such a range of cultural lessons and experiences to our pupils.

“The day has been divided into mini workshops encompassing the history of the country, with a talk about the Terracotta Warriors, and Chinese artwork, which is known for its colour and vibrancy.

“Art has taken centre stage for a large part of the day, with the children producing their take on silk painting and Chinese Anime.

“The celebrations come to a close with a session of Tai Chi, led by Hummersknott Academy’s Hanban teacher, Ms. Xu Zhang.”

She added: “Chinese New Year is an important worldwide event that our partnership with Hummersknott Academy has made possible for us to let our pupils fully experience.” The celebrations mark the beginning of the Year of the Snake, which is seen as the most enigmatic and intuitive of the animal signs. Ancient Chinese wisdom says a snake in the house is a good omen, as it means your family will not starve.