Young hip-hoppers have proved their worth in the classroom as well as with a microphone after becoming the first to pick up a new qualification.

Three members of the G-Block Family, made up of 10 musicians from Blackbird Leys, worked with an internationally acclaimed poet to pick up an A-level equivalent in performance and poetry.

The Open College Network Level Three Poetry and Storytelling in Performance was the brainchild of ‘Slam’ poet and Oxford Brookes lecturer Steve Larkin and champion for black education Sue Funge.

The Fusion arts centre, in Cowley Road, became a hip-hop school for the youngsters as they learned new vocal techniques and honed their mic skills.

Students were also taught a slam style of poetry, where poets are judged by members of the audience, picked by an M.C, or host.

The style draws on the vocal delivery found in hip-hop music and on the tradition of dub poetry, according to Mr Larkin.

He said: “I was really impressed with the level of talent I was hearing from the students on the course.

“There was a lot of substance beneath what they were writing about.

“They talked about their experiences of life on the estates, but not glorifying it as is often found in rap and hip-hop.

“They know they can do things about what they think or believe without being too showy or cocky.”

The course, originally a module from a degree offered at the university, was developed by Mr Larkin to be taken into the community as part of an inclusion project, and to help reach people who would not normally apply for degree level courses.

Ms Funge, who founded the Going For Gold Course, allowing black and mixed race children to learn about their heritage, sought accreditation for the course which now means it can be used to access further education.

The 20 students who took the course were awarded their certificates at the arts centre last week.

Kymel Austin, 21, from Blackbird Leys, who raps under the name of Black Knight in the G-Block Family, said the course had helped him develop his style as a performer.

He said: “My lyrics have more intelligence now. It doesn’t need to be about violence. That not only gives the style of music a bad name, but also the area that you come from, and we don’t need that.

“I’m going to put the certificate in a frame. I’ve never been given anything that recognises me for a talent before. I’m really proud of it. It makes me want to go out and teach other people.”