When they arrived this morning there was some speculation as to what would be happening, but it wasn't until shortly before 9:30am that Mr Mansell explained that the children were to be evacuated to safety.
They were told that they would be spending a week at a school in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, effectively 'swapping' places with pupils from there. Mr Mansell told the children that they would walk down to the village green, where the coach would meet them, to take them to their new homes.
There was a mixture of feelings: some were understandably nervous and a little anxious, whilst others were excited at the prospect of something new.
The class set off, pausing briefly at the school gates to wave goodbye to their siblings who had come out to see them off. They then proceeded along the street and along to the road towards the village green.
The children were all very brave, and there were no tears, but there were certainly some relieved looks when Mr Mansell then explained that it was all made up and they wouldn't be going anywhere!
We followed up our 'evacuation' with some literacy work on diary writing about their experience, which will be continued this week.
I hope the children will all remember the experience for a long time and that it will be a tale they can tell their children in years to come!