CHILDREN at a new pre-school in East Yorkshire will be all smiles this Friday.

The youngsters at Pocklington School’s Pre-School are getting ready for World Smile Day, as they settle into their new classroom.

From this term, three-year-olds have been attending half and all-day sessions, enjoying specialist teaching aimed at helping them get ready for school.

The pre-school’s emphasis on developing creative, visual and communication skills include a focus on World Smile Day, initiated by the smiley face image creator Harvey Ball in 1963, and whose message this year is: Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.

Sarah Cobb, head of Pocklington Pre-School and Pre-Prep, said: “Parents are a child’s first educators and they are increasingly aware of the benefits to their children of first class early years education. The key to school readiness is not starting formal education earlier but nurturing children’s creativity, confidence, resilience and motivation within a safe and secure setting.”