Pupils at award-winning Harrogate school learns how town was once a rainforest

In an inspirational speech as part of the school’s annual Speech Day and Prizegiving ceremony, James McKay, showed the children at Highfield Prep school visualisations of Harrogate more than 320 million years ago when there it was part of a rainforest.

And he also showed pupils at the prep school for boys and girls aged 4-11, which is part of Harrogate Ladies College, futuristic drawings of how Harrogate could look by 2100.

Mr McKay, from the Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences at University of Leeds, told the youngsters that, to create a good future, we have to understand the past.

“Over 320 million years ago there was a rainforest in Harrogate,” said Mr McKay.

"The trees were growing and absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

"This carbon eventually became coal, which we burn to produce energy, but which releases the carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.

“I believe that to create a good future we have to understand the past.

"This is why we need to use renewable energy, protect forests, soils and capture carbon.”

Known as the ‘man who draws the future’, James is an artist and science communicator who collaborates with scientists to illustrate ideas about the future as well as reconstructing ancient landscapes.

During Highfield’s Speech Day, headteacher James Savile paid tribute to the hard work and vision of the Highfield community over the past year.

“The three words from our school motto, “I AM ME” are extremely important to us as a school and my wish is that you know that each one of you is special and unique,” said Mr Savile.

"You all have the ability to do something that is both distinctive and amazing and I want you all to remember that.”

Highfield was recently shortlisted for the national Prep School of the Year award in the Independent Parent School of the Year Awards and is a previous winner of the TES Community Initiative Award.