Children from Clough Hall Technology School in Kidsgrove are in Gambia at the Bijilo Lower Basic School to see the school they have linked with. Pupils will see the new school roof, paid for with money Clough Hall pupils have raised through various fund-raising activities

Day 5

Zac Woodcock, aged 14, writes:

Today was are last day at Bijilo school. During the past three days we had nearly painted the whole school. All of the team had worked hard.

When we arrived, we realised the brushes which had green gloss on had not been cleaned so Mr Lovatt and one of the Gambian teachers fetched some turps and also black gloss for the blackboards. While Mr Lovatt was out we looked in some classrooms. When we were in the grade two class they sang to us and then we sang The Hokey-Cokey and If You're Happy And You Know It. Some of the grade five and six students came out and we played traditional games.

We showed them Blind Man's Bluff, which they all loved. After that Mr Lovatt returned and we started to paint again.

We finished the second coat of the four-block building. Then all the school gathered around to say farewell to us. They put on a show for us with songs the students had composed.

The school arranged for two African drummers to come and perform for us. When they started to drum we went up with some students and started to dance. Then some other students grabbed a megaphone and sang and everyone danced.

We were invited to their library to have a farewell talk by the headmaster. The PTA, governors and members of the community came to thank us for our work.

Then Miss Jones made a speech about how we will stay connected and see them again. Miss Jones handed over a silver plate quoting "continuing the friendship between Clough Hall and Bijilo".

The time came to say goodbye.

On the way out the students were playing football and our taxi driver accidentally caught the ball underneath the tyre and there was a bang. Tyler said "Well at

least we went out with a bang".

I will miss the school and the special friends we made.

Izzy Patrick, aged 15, writes:

Heading off to the school for the last time. Aww. Once we arrived Mr Lovatt and the headteacher went to buy some paint so we sang, danced and played some games with some so the Gambian kids.

We showed them Hokey Cokey and they showed us their favourites. Once Mr Lovatt returned we quickly mixed the paint and started on one of the classroom blocks.

When we had finished painting, the Bijilo students surprised us with a thank you celebration of singing, dancing and drumming. After laughing at each other's dancing we were taken into the library and was given a drink and biscuits.

The head teacher Mr Kebba Fatti gave a speech which thanked us for fundraising for the school.

After we headed back to the hotel, I went to the shop to get an ice cream because it was hot.

After munching on my ice cream, I went to my room and got changed for the pool. The pool was absolutely freezing but we soon warmed up.

We decided to go back to our room at 6pm to get ready to go to the Pizza Place for a soft drink with everyone.