A juicing good time was had by youngsters as their classroom moved outdoors to enjoy the fruits of the harvest.

Pupils from St Andrew’s CofE Academy in Buckland Monachorum had a deliciously educational outing to the village chapel to learn all about apple pressing.

The children, all members of the pupil-led school council, learned how apples are transformed into juice using traditional equipment before tasting the fresh juice.

The juice was made even sweeter by knowing the school’s gardening club had harvested the apples from St Andrew’s School grounds just the day before.

The young apple fans then met Celia Steven, widely known as ‘The Orchard Lady’ who added a touch of local celebrity to the day. Henry Merryweather, Celia's great grandfather, started a nursery back in 1856 using Bramley apple seedlings as the first commercial grower of the Bramley.

Celia has since started the community orchard at the school. She told the children the Bramley apples even have fans in Japan who follow her apple-themed social media pages.

The school celebrates the area’s rich apple-growing heritage with classes named after apples, Pippin, Bramley, Knight, Crimson, Warrior and Pendragon.

Debbie Nunn, headteacher, said: "It was wonderful to see our school council pupils so engaged and excited during the apple pressing day. Not only did they learn about the traditional process of turning apples into juice, but they also experienced the joy of tasting the fruits of their own school gardening club’s efforts. Events like this really bring our curriculum to life and help children connect with the rich apple-growing heritage of our area while encouraging teamwork, curiosity, and pride in their local community."

Tracey Cleverly, CEO of Learning Academy Partnership, which runs the school, said: "It’s fantastic to see pupils from St Andrew’s CofE Academy enjoying such a hands-on activity that celebrates both learning and local history. From harvesting apples in the school garden to tasting their own freshly pressed juice, these experiences help children understand the connection between effort, learning, and the wider community around them."