THIS is what One Britain One Nation Day celebrations really looked like today in a Bradford primary school.

Marshfield Primary School in Little Horton was just one of the schools taking part; 150 primary schools across the Bradford district had been scheduled to join in the celebrations.

OBON Day was the culmination of a week learning about British history, and was an “uplifting” experience for pupils after so long under Covid restrictions, joint-Head of School Zara Kearns said.

Pupils have spent the week learning about the history of the British Isles, from the Stone Age through to the Tudors, the 1960s, the rise of technology and everything in between.

They also reflected on their own histories and heritage and celebrated the diverse make up that makes Britain the country it is.

Ms Kearns said: “It’s been a fantastic, there’s been a real buzz of excitement across the school and the children have loved it.

“The children have learned about how Britain is made up of different cultures and people from all over the world, it’s important the know about that.

“We have 17 different language spoken at Marshfields and a range of ethnicities, so at the end of the week the children looked at their own heritage so they got the full picture of what makes Britain.

“All week children have gone home buzzing, after so long under Covid restrictions this was our first big celebration and it was so uplifting for everyone.”

On the criticism which has been levelled at OBON in recent days, Ms Kearns added: “We made it all about the children.

“We consult with the parents on everything we do and they’ve been so supportive of this week.”

British values are already part of schools’ curriculum in England, and the OBON event helps put extra emphasis on these values.

OBON, which has run in Bradford schools since 2017, made national headlines earlier this week after the Government sent a tweet urging all schools in the UK to take part.

It was criticised in Scotland for being held after Scottish children have broken up for summer holidays, in Wales for being “forced nationalism” and in Northern Ireland because some felt excluded by the campaign’s name.

Founder Kash Singh, who served for 30 years as a police officer in Bradford, said: “We want every child to realise their potential and create a shared sense of belonging.

“I came here aged six fulfilled my dreams and I want other children to feel the same.”