Pupils step into paradise to mark special day

Children wore their own clothes for the day, which included games and a disco, with party food provided by the Chalfont St Giles Literary Festival committee.

The day began with an assembly, at which the children learned about Milton and how he finished Paradise Lost in a cottage in the village, during an outbreak of plague in London.

Headteacher Elen Peal said: "The children were really interested. We explained who Milton was and looked at some of what he'd written in Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. It was complex language for them, but we explained something of the heritage of their village."

Mrs Peal added that although she could not say whether any of the pupils had ancestors in the village 400 years ago, many of them came from families who have been in Chalfont St Giles for several generations and local history is something the children enjoy learning about.

The children began their participation in the village's literary festival in May by entering the story and poetry writing competitions.

Last week's paradise beach party was the culmination of the celebrations for the school.