Buckswood School pupilsgo bonkers for conkers

Head of the Junior School, Mr Cassidy said of the afternoon: “When the pockets of the juniors are bulging with the seed of the horse chestnut tree and children shuffle around the campus like geisha girls because the laces of their shoes are missing, we know at Buckswood that it’s the conker season again.

“For years, in England, this pastime has entertained generations of schoolboys, although it is fair to say that an increasing number of girls like to participate in this activity too.

“Scores of juniors lined up to face their opponents in the sports hall and the largest school conker fight in the South East began.

“Despite all sorts of tricks employed by some to create the everlasting conker, it was the ‘honest conkers’ that prevailed and won the competition, proving that soaking conkers in vinegar and baking them in ovens is no match for a freshly picked conker in expert hands.”

Buckswood headteacher Mr Redsell said “The conker fight is a great autumnal tradition in the UK, and at Buckswood it is very part of the junior school calendar.

“The International students love to learn about our customs and traditions.”

The first recorded game of conkers was on the Isle of Wight in 1848.