Carol Vorderman has urged people to join in with a moment of national recognition for "resilient" school children on Friday (24.07.20) afternoon.
The 59-year-old star will deliver an end-of-year message after a school bell – which will be available at www.bigschoolbell.org – rings out across the nation at 4pm to mark the end of the academic year, and has called for others to get involved in the Big School Bell campaign.
She said: "I’m delighted to be lending my voice to the Big School Bell campaign. Pupils across the UK have had a tough school year and they deserve to be acknowledged for their resilience.
"I know that teachers and support teams have done what they can to mark the end of the year and this campaign is great way for us all to get involved and show our young people that we’re right behind them."
To take part, pupils are asked to stand outside their front door or at an open window in their school uniform, or by holding something that symbolises their time at school.
‘Harry Potter’ actor Sir Michael Gambon has also praised the "wonderful initiative".
He said: "I would like to thank the organisers of this wonderful initiative for their efforts and congratulate the teachers and support staff who have been working tirelessly to support our nation’s children throughout this challenging time."
Professor Divya Jindal-Snape, Director of Transformative Change: Educational and Life Transitions (TCELT) Research Centre at Dundee University, thinks the Big School Bell will offer young people "closure" following a difficult few months of schools being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The professor said: "For those who are going to start or leave secondary school, COVID-19 has meant that they did not experience the eagerly awaited graduation ceremony and leavers’ ball. We don’t want to let their transitions go unnoticed.
"A collective country-wide celebration in the form of the Big School Bell is a wonderful way of celebrating their transitions. It will provide them some closure after, what have been, very trying circumstances over the last few months."