The routine at Dorset House School in Bury last week was enlivened by the discovery of a large Canada goose wandering around the school grounds.
Children from the nursery had spotted the bird on the river bank the day before during their afternoon walk, but it wasn't
until Thursday that the goose decided to come to school.
It stood at the main gate and watched proceedings with interest b
efore waddling off to the main teaching block.
Denis Fitzgerald, who works at the school, walked the goose down to the pond where it happily spent a few hours before trying out the River Arun for a while.
It was obviously a tame bird and seemed very happy in human
company.
On Friday the goose was once again back at school but had flown overnight into the tennis courts, from where it was later freed.
During the afternoon Year 2 pupil Robbie Milne, who lives in a village nearby, happened to spot the goose and laid claim to it.
A few calls to his home confirmed the goose had managed to cross the A29 and find its way down Church Lane to the school grounds.
Deputy headmaster Richard Peck gathered the bird in his arms, commandeered school transport and set off with Simon Hallam as driver and assistant matron Mary Lamb to assist to return the goose to his home and reunite him with his friend.
Headmaster Richard Brown said: "I'm afraid the goose had picked up the nickname Paxo during its short stay at Dorset House.
"I'm even sorrier to say there were a few here who unashamedly looked at the bird in terms of its gastronomic potential.
"Notwithstanding, it was a model 'pupil' and behaved itself impeccably.
"Once we had established where the bird had come from, and that it was tame, the children in Year 2 were fascinated to see a wildcreature so close up.
"I am delighted that the goose story had a happy ending and the bird is now happily back home, with no apparent ill effects."
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