All the year groups, except those studying for GCSE and A-level exams, took part in the school's alternative curriculum day which took pupils away from the classrooms and into more exciting methods of learning.

The youngest students, years 7 and 8, enjoyed outdoor activities, with the year 7s travelling to North Yorkshire's Rosedale Valley to complete a series of walking exercises, map-reading and flora and fauna identification.

The year 8s were kept busy learning survival techniques led by Royal Marine Corporal Alistair Gunning, with a series of challenges involving stretcher construction, shelter building and first aid training provided by St John's Ambulance.

For the year 9s, the day was all about culture with a variety of workshops running throughout the day including henna tattooing, belly-dancing and Chinese dragon building.

Their afternoon culminated in a banquet, where the food created in the workshops was eaten set in the backdrop of Chinese and Indian decorations and the dragon created by the students.

The year 10s looked to space for their alternative afternoon and set about building water-powered rockets and lunar exploration buggies which were then chosen via a 'Dragon's Den' style process for a final presentation in the main hall.

For the eldest school year taking part in the alternative curriculum day, the year 12s, the time was used to plan for the future.

The students were able to access presentations from various institutions of higher education and employment and were given guidance on preparing CVs and applying for jobs.

Headlands deputy headteacher James Gunning said that all the year groups enjoyed their time away from the text books.

"From a whole school perspective, the day was very successful," he said.

"Students thoroughly enjoyed the activities presented to them on the day, despite the poor weather for those outdoors!

"They were engaged, happy and motivated and finished the day enquiring as to when the next day would be and what activities we would have planned for them.