Youngsters learning the write route to creativity; Classical music and candlelight are not what you might expect to find in an inner-city classroom. CLAIRE HACK discovers how Mozart and meditation are helping primary school children achieve the write stuff

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), March 25, 2008

Byline: CLAIRE HACK

A NOTICEABLE hush falls over the school as the children come in from their morning playtime.

No-one speaks above a whisper in each dimly-lit room and there is a meditative atmosphere.

The gentle strains of Mozart and Beethoven can be heard in the corridors and in candlelit classrooms. Everyone is settling down for the Big Write.

Falla Park Community Primary School is one of a handful of schools in Gateshead to use the idea, which is aimed at getting the pupils to think of writing as a pleasure rather than a chore.

The unusual approach is based on a concept created by education specialist Ros Wilson, of Andrell Education.

A 40-minute timer is set using computer software and the children, keen to get stuck in, start writing straight away.

Although the tasks set for each class are different, every child is involved and encouraged to think hard about their writing.

Located in Felling, Gateshead, one of the most challenged areas in the borough, Falla Park offers the children opportunities they might not have otherwise had.

"We try to encourage lots of parental involvement," says headteacher Denise Thompson, of Chester-le-Street.

"On a Wednesday night the children take home their talking homework and the parents discuss writing.

"There's no pressure - they don't have to write anything down.

"They come in with lots of

"We teach them something and then keep revisiting it at regular intervals to keep it fresh in their minds.

"We celebrate the children's successes and they're always making small-step progress.

"Even the younger children are writing reams and reams."

The success of the Big Write is already clear.

Having only taken it up in January, the children now have full Big Write portfolios, with their own custom-designed covers.

"I like it because we can write loads and loads, then we get to put it in the Big Write portfolios and see how we've improved," says Scott Renwick, 10.

The children are given a wide range of writing tasks, helping them expand their skills as far as possible.

Laura Bruce, nine, says: "Sometimes you get to write stories and sometimes you get to write letters.

"I like writing mystery stories."

Always trying to keep their writing from being boring, the children are encouraged to replace boring words with exciting words.

'The teacher puts boring words on the board and then we get the thesaurus and find better ones," says Megan Robson, nine.

In Year Five the children are writing a letter to former pupil Olubunmi Adekunle, known as Bunmi, who has moved back to Nigeria with his family.

Bunmi, whose family left to be nearer his grandparents, is much missed by the class and they're eager to tell him what they've been up to.

Year Five teacher David Hauxwell, 31, says: "Last week we had science week and we've had a skipping festival as well, so they'll be writing about that.

'The music calms them down and the writing subsequently is just fantastic."

And according to the parent governors, who reported back at the last governors' meeting, the Big Write has been a big success - for the boys in particular.

'There's a big push on boys' writing," Reception and Year One teacher Lynn Crellin says.

The popularity of the Big Write is growing as well, as schools in County Durham take up the technique too.

And in Mrs Crellin's class the children have another helping hand in the form of Marvin the Monkey.

A glove puppet who can't write very well, the children have to help Marvin by writing for him.

Today they're writing instructions on how to grow beans, having tried out the task for themselves last week.

"It gives them hands-on experience first and also gives them something concrete to write about," says Vanessa Carr, 32, who shares teaching responsibility for Reception and Year One with Lynn.

Although they're given more adult help at the younger end, the children are still encouraged to come up with their own ideas.

"We have carpet time, where they talk about what they're going to write," says Vanessa.

In Year Two today the task is to write a story and the title is The Amazing Pebble.

By the time they reach Miss McKenzie's class the children have all learned handwriting and they are starting to write independently.

"My story's at out Lucy Dog.

"She finds forest and a fail Lawrie, seven, magic pebble on the floor in the The class ha: been told the magic pebble can transport them anywhere they want to go if they a pick it up.

'The biggest thing is it really boosts their self esteem," says teacher Helen McKenzie, 24.

Musical giants - Mozart and Beethoven

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART, baps-tized Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfganus gus Theophilu Mozart (January 27, 1756 - December 55, 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era.

His output off more than 600 composes works widely acknowledge.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (December 16, 1770 - March 26, 1827) was born in Germany and was a composer and virtuoso pianist. He was an important figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music and remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.