THERE was a surprise in store for the pupils of Chawton Primary School when Millers Ark Farm arrived on the small green opposite their classrooms last Wednesday and invited them to come and meet the animals.

Lucky pupils from the Oak, Maple and Beech classes, made up of four to eight year olds, were given the chance to pick up and hold the baby chicks and ducks, pat baby goats and rub the noses of the donkeys who almost stole the show.

But organiser and teacher Jenny Abbott said: “I think the pigs were the great favourite, although the children loved handling the baby chicks.

“We invited Millers Ark Farm as part of our curriculum on growing which we are studying in class and the young chicks that will grow into ducks and chickens helped to illustrate this.”

Next week, the pupils will be studying the subject of ‘We Are Chawton’, taking a geographical tour of the East Hampshire village to learn about its past and present history.