Fifty Yarm School pupils braved the elements to sleep outside in a bid to raise money for housing and homeless charity, Shelter.
The Year 6 pupils, aged 10 and 11, made covers using recycled cardboard boxes and slept under their homemade shelters on one of the school’s sports pitches.
Despite the miserable weather, the pupils’ efforts raised more than £2,000 for the charity.
Shelter is a registered charity that campaigns to end homelessness and bad housing in Great Britain. It offers support to people in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Atsushi Yamaguchi, 11, said: “We slept outside so that we could understand how it feels to live on the streets and just how hard it is. Some of the shelters collapsed because of the rain and so pupils had to move inside, but mine lasted the full night.
It is important that we support charities like Shelter so that vulnerable people receive the help they need.”
Yarm Prep School Head, Mr Bill Sawyer, said: Yarm School, said: “Throughout our curriculum, we endeavour to engage our pupils in a variety of fundraising and charitable activities.
“Sleeping out to raise money for Shelter was not only fantastic in terms of the money raised by our pupils but it also helped them to empathise with people in less fortunate situations.
“The first-hand experience of sleeping outside, and during rainy conditions, was very moving for us all.”