Year Six pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter were left stunned when their classmate, Grace, brought in her pet corn snake, Jasper.

Wisbech Standard: Harry Mason (left) with Grace and Thomas Cawdery holding Jasper | Pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter proved they had the backbone to hold their classmates pet snake.Harry Mason (left) with Grace and Thomas Cawdery holding Jasper | Pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter proved they had the backbone to hold their classmates pet snake. (Image: Archant)

The pupils have been learning about vertebrates and invertebrates, and which animals have backbones.

It sparked a conversation about snakes where pupils debated if the slithery creature sported a backbone.

Wisbech Standard: Headteacher, Anne Senior, gets to hold Jasper | Pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter proved they had the backbone to hold their classmates pet snake.Headteacher, Anne Senior, gets to hold Jasper | Pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter proved they had the backbone to hold their classmates pet snake. (Image: Archant)

Grace Height, along with her father Johnathan Height, who is a snake expert, thought the best idea to solve the backbone theory would be to bring in their own pet corn snake, Jasper.

As well as meeting all the children, Jasper got a chance to meet headteacher Anne Senior, who held Jasper around her neck.

Wisbech Standard: Grace Height and her pet corn snake, Jasper | Pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter proved they had the backbone to hold their classmates pet snake.Grace Height and her pet corn snake, Jasper | Pupils at Anthony Curton Primary School in Walpole St Peter proved they had the backbone to hold their classmates pet snake. (Image: Archant)

Some of the children who were brave enough took it in turns to have Jasper around their necks too.

Mr Height explained to the children how to look after a snake and said that “they live longer in captivity than in the wild”.

Jeremy Wilkinson, Year 6 teacher, said: “We discovered that we are more like snakes than we think. The children were fascinated.”