PUPILS from Sampford Peverell Primary School got the chance to put their learning into action when they headed to the Jurassic Coast for a day looking for fossils.

Class Three swapped the classroom for the coastline as they took a trip to the World-famous Jurassic heritage site of Charmouth in the final days of term.

The 31 children, who were joined by teachers, staff and parents, set off excitedly wondering what marine treasures they might find. They were searching for pre-historic fossils, dating back 185 million years to the Cretaceous period, when marine dinosaurs inhabited the oceans and seas.

The day out to the cliffs and beaches of Charmouth was organised because the children have been studying coasts as their main topic since Easter.

Their teacher, Owen Wilder, thought that finding out for themselves about the history of the coastline would reinforce lessons learnt in class.

On arriving at the Heritage Study Centre at Charmouth, the group were given a talk by the senior warden, who explained the geology of the surrounding cliffs.

He then told the children what types of fossils they were likely to find nearby and a bit about what creatures the fossils originated from.

The children then headed out onto the beach where they spent an hour combing the shoreline under the careful guidance of the warden.

Among the fossils found by the children were Ammonites and Belemnites.

Later, the children competed in teams to see who could create the best fossil design in the sand.

Parent helper Lindsey Rowe said: “What an amazing experience the children have had on this trip. They've learnt so much from their visit to Charmouth and really enjoyed themselves. It almost felt like we were transported back to pre-historic times.”

Class teacher Owen Wilder added: “It was a fascinating day where adults and children alike came away having learnt something about fossils; how they were formed and where to find them.”

Nine-year-old pupil Jessica Gardner said: “The trip made everything we've been learning in class come to life. It's hard to imagine that some of the fossils we found are 185 million years old. We had such a fun day.”