The new term at Monmouth School Girls’ Prep got off to a flying start.

Headmistress, Mrs Hilary Phillips, and Deputy Head, Mr Tom Evans, arrived at school in a helicopter.

Launching the new Fight or Flight study topic, the aircraft, containing Mrs Phillips and Mr Evans, landed on the school playing fields much to the excitement of on-looking pupils.

Pupil, Dilys, said: “We were given a riddle in assembly to solve which brought us all down to the playing field. When the helicopter arrived, we wondered who was in it.”

Mrs Phillips said the helicopter visit, which had been kindly donated by a parent, was a fantastic opportunity to capture the girls’ imagination.

“The girls had an assembly without the head and deputy head and that immediately got them wondering what was happening,” said Mrs Phillips.

“The girls had a riddle to direct them to the sports field and, in keeping with the theme of the new study topic, the deputy head and I flew into school.

“The girls then had a brilliant question and answer session with the pilot, Harry Goodwin.

“The idea is that the girls will return to the classroom with their teachers and narrow down exactly what they want to find out.”