Buxton pupil Oliver builds his own Viking longship for school project

When schools initially closed in March, pupils were given a home learning pack and asked to make a longboat but staff were expecting children to make models.

However, Oliver Lukasik and his dad Marek had other ideas and they set about constructing a two-seater replica longboat using leftover wood from a DIY project at home.

The pair spent about a week on the build and mum Iwona added the finishing touches with the decoration.

As a special surprise for teachers they dropped the longboat off at school, while following social distancing guidelines, and it is now taking pride of place in one of the classrooms.

Oliver, 11, said he was pleased with how the boat had turned out.

He said: “Building it was really fun, I loved it.

“When it was finished I thought ‘wow’, it’s good and when I took it to school there were a lot of ‘wows’.

“I wish it could float but I’m not sure.

“It’s at school now and I think it will stay there.”

Marek added he had enjoyed spending time with Oliver completing the project.

He said: “We didn’t design it or plan it, we started by building the base and the frame and the whole thing took about a week.

“It was great, Oliver was using the tools and helping out.

“We were pleased with how it turned out and my wife decorated it.

“When we took it to school to show his teachers, we were worried that it might not fit through the doors but it did and it’s now in one of the classrooms.

“It was nice to spend time on this project with Oliver because normally we don’t have the time to do things like this when I’m working.”

Julia Wiggins, headteacher at St Anne’s CVA, said: “Oli has always been a very creative child but none of us expected a two-seater replica, fashioned from wood, to appear at school.

“We’re proud of every child at St Anne’s and the way they’ve engaged in home learning during this difficult time.

“We’re all now wondering what further surprises are in store for us in the future.”