Chickens are a valuable learning aid for young pupils

Pupils at Moulsecoomb Primary in Brighton get to spend part of their day looking after the birds – and staff say it has helped lead to improved behaviour in the classroom.

The school has called it its “chicken therapy programme” and it is become a major part of the learning curriculum.

Volunteer Mark Elliston goes has been working at the school over the last six months and goes in a couple of times a week to teach the children how to care for the chickens.

This includes feeding and washing them and giving them a comfortable home.

Mr Elliston said: “What we have found is that this is really good for the health and wellbeing of the children, especially children with a higher spectrum/

“When they get stressed out, they come out here with one of the teachers and help look after the chickens.

“I’ve seen how well this works and I’ve not once seen one of them misbehave, and it’s just really beneficial to the school and the children.

“The school has had chickens here for years, but I was hired to come in and be a helper. Since then me and my team have brought in new stock, fresh birds and they’re really a part of the school now.”

The school’s award-winning grounds have become a great place for the children to learn and play.

Pupils from other schools across Brighton are invited in to take part in the outdoor learning classes where they get to spend time in vegetable gardens, roundhouses and ponds, which helps teach them key skills they do not learn in the classroom.

School governor Warren Carter said: “This sort of work helps improve the education outcome for all the children and that’s a really important thing. It’s not an opt out, it’s part of a well-rounded education.”

Headteacher Adam Sutton said: “It’s brilliant, we use it as a nurturing tool but what we don’t allow is for it become a distraction from their learning.

“It’s just one example of broadening the curriculum, so the children can access and improve their key skills.”