CHRISTMAS has united two Yorkshire schools which couldn't be more different.

Rural Giggleswick Primary School, which has 84 pupils, welcomed 30 children from Copethorne Primary, an inner city school in Bradford attended by 500 pupils.

Bringing together the children has helped break down barriers, enabling many of the pupils to become friends.

Copethorne's head, Naila Zaffar explained: "Our children mainly come from the ethnic minority and they didn't get to see other religions and cultures.

"We asked the education authority if any others schools were interested in pairing up and Giggleswick teachers Jill Flanaghan and Anne Michelmore- Brown were also looking for a link.

"They made our children really welcome, as we did. The children came back from their visit on Tuesday and said they had had a great time. They are over the moon and have formed some good friendships.

"Our children come from an inner city ethnic minority, but they have got to get on with other people in society later. We have got to respect each other's religions and cultures."

The two schools have teamed up to compare and contrast various aspects of the National Curriculum

Giggleswick pupils carried out a road traffic survey in Bradford and were shocked by the noise and volume of traffic.

Now the Bradford pupils have visited ancient Giggleswick Church and attended a carol concert and nativity in their work on Religious Education.

The Giggleswick pupils are planning a return visit to Bradford in February and will attend an Eid assembly and visit a local mosque.

Giggleswick headteacher Anne Michelmore-Brown said: "The link has opened our children's eyes. It has enabled the children to experience a different locality and culture.

"The staff at Copthorne are wonderful. Ninety-nine per cent of the children are from an ethnic, mainly Muslim, background, whereas at the moment we have no children from an ethnic background.

"The children have been able to get to know somebody different and try to understand each others cultures."