Youngsters at Goathland Primary School have been learning about the building of their school 200 years ago as well as sampling what life was like for previous generations.

The children dressed in the traditional clothing of 1808 – much different to their current uniforms – to attend a service of thanksgiving in memory of the founders of their school, as well as performing maypole dancing and a play about the history of the school.

They arrived at the ceremony, which took place at the village's St Mary's Church on Wednesday, in spectacular style – aboard two floats decorated with straw bales, sacks and model sheep which were pulled by tractors, before joining in a procession led by the Bishop of Whitby.

The thanksgiving included hymns and readings from various sources including A History of the Vale of Goathland as well as a poem written and performed by year six pupil Sophie Knight.

The youngsters also sat down to a 1808-style lunch made by school cook Chris Turford which proved a huge hit with pupils and included Middleton Lodge Mutton broth, Helmsley Buckingham cake, cheese, fruit and homemade biscuits – worlds away from the traditional food of 2008.

Earlier in the month, the school's pupils also visited Ryedale Folk Museum in anticipation of the school's anniversary, where they sampled the chores children of their ages would have been expected to do 200 years ago.

Not only did the pupils take part in the thanksgiving event, but the staff were also dressed in the same style of clothes their peers would have been dressed in 200 years ago.

Caretaker Chris Morley said: "All the staff and all the governors have dressed up too. The children have just loved it all.

"They've loved hearing from older people about how their school looked before more amenities were added and about what life was life."

Headteacher Susan Chadwick added the children had been looking forward to the event greatly.

The school welcomed Cynthia Welbourn, director of children and young people's services for North Yorkshire, who gave a speech to guests explaining that although the ceremony looks back to thank the founders of the school 200 years ago, it also looks forward, to the current pupils and their own futures.

She added: "It is our great fortune that we are here today and I hope our time spent in Goathland will be wonderful."

Donations given during the service will be split between Goathland School and St Martin's children's hospice.