Watch as Sunderland's Academy 360 Community Bistro goes down a treat with parents and children

Year 6 children at Academy 360 welcomed hundreds of parents to enjoy a slice of cake and a cup of tea at their annual Community Bistro.

Also on the menu were cookies, scones, muffins, flap jacks and ice cream. For those with a more savoury tooth there was also a choice of sandwiches, pies, quiches and sausage rolls.

As well as helping to prepare the food, the children “ran the event”, taking on the roles of meeting and greeting, serving food and drinks and taking people’s orders.

Pupils were also charged with the task of getting customer feedback and managing the incoming money and outgoing costs.

Waitress Mazie Raine, 11, said: “When I first started taking orders I was very nervous but I’m much more confident now.

“I’ve taken lots of orders for cakes and cups of tea and I can’t wait to try the chocolate cake.”

Fellow waitress Daisy Smith, 11, said: “There has been a little bit of pressure to get all the orders right, but I’ve really enjoyed it.

“I’ve had to use my maths skills to do all the adding up as well as communication skills when taking the orders.”

Greeter Jake Dewar, 11, added: “The customers have been amazing and really friendly.

“I’ve served lots of scones, crisps and cups of tea.”

As well as raising funds for the school and charities, a key focus of the bistro is to provide the children with real experience of working life.

Year 6 teacher Ruth Anderson said: “This is all about career development to enable the children to develop the skills and knowledge of what it’s like to be in a real working environment.

“As well as those pupils working in different roles on the day we have even had some of the children working as accountants to budget our costs and what money we then take in.”

Head of Academy 360 Primary School, Helena West, added: “This is an annual event which everyone really looks forward to.

“There has been a great turnout and the children have really stepped up. They have communicated with customers really well and it has been a realistic working experience for them.

“They have been amazing and we are really proud of them.”

The bistro certainly seemed to be a hit with parents and grandparents.

Demi Cooperwaite, 32, said: “I had a sandwich and a cup of coffee and I really enjoyed it.

“It’s good for parents to be able to come into school and socialise with each other.”

Tracy Wade, 52, added: “I had a sandwich and a packet of crisps. I’ve really enjoyed it and the kids have been brilliant - they got all our orders correct.”

The money raised will be split between charities and investing in school projects, with the decision on how it will be spent taken by the School Council once “they see how much money has been raised”.

Bobby Young, 11, said: “It was good to learn about different jobs. I hope the money raised can be spent on outdoor education to help some pupils to go back to Derwent Hill.”

Jake Dewar, 11, added: “I would like us to spend the money on outdoor equipment.”