The school’s year 4-7 pupils made potato athletes to compete in a potato Olympics.
Teacher Megan Dyer said the pupils designed a potato athlete using a potato, any shape or size, they brought from home.
"We named the potatoes and picked a country for them to represent."
The pupils researched about the country their athlete was from and made flags.
"We decorated our potatoes with materials from the art room and our potatoes had to have a piece of clothing that represented their country."
The pupils wrote an athlete’s profile for their potato.
The potato Olympics started with an opening ceremony which was held during the school assembly.
The pupils and their potato athletes took part in two events each day.
"There were points for sportsmanship and growth mindset as well," Miss Dyer said.
Events included potato toss, diving, balance, bobsledding and dance.
The pupils also built a village where the potato athletes stayed overnight.
"It was a great way to learn about being supportive and how to be a team-mate, which are huge part of our Dipton School values.
"We even had emergency repair days for our athletes, and days where some potatoes had to go to hospital due to being injured."
A prize-giving and closing ceremony was held after the final event.
It had been an enjoyable learning experience involving different subjects in the curriculum, Miss Dyer said.
"The students became attached to their potatoes and it was amazing to see how engaged and involved they were.
"We all had a lot of fun."
It was also a "brilliant" way to make the Paris Olympics more relevant to the pupils, she said.
The pupils said they enjoyed the potato Olympics.
"Potato diving was voted the most dangerous sport of the competition ... I loved creating Mr Fries the third from France," Shakespeare Canada, 11, said.
"During the potato Olympics everyone had a chance no matter how skilled they were. All the potatoes were different and it showed us that no matter how big, small, strong you are, everyone can give it a go and do their best," Liam Ferris, 11 said.
"It was really cool decorating our potatoes and using our imagination," Tilly Norman, 11 said.
"You learnt how to be supportive and a good team-mate," Olivia Macgregor, 11 said.
"We had to use our imagination and it was fun seeing everyone else’s imaginations and creativity come through. I loved being involved," Zoe Bongngat, 11, said.
"My potato was the smallest and I think I had the biggest advantage in the events," Blake MacGregor, 9, said.
The potatoes would now be sprouted so they could be replanted to produce the next generation of athletes, Miss Dyer said.
