BANISHED are the days of boring maths and geography classes.

Instead, children in one school are leading the way by telling teachers what they want to learn.

Pirates, rainforests and life under the sea are just some of the subjects now getting taught at a Bicester’s Brookside School.

And the move has produced the school’s best ever SATS results and 270 highly motivated pupils.

In fact, the change in teaching has been so inspirational the school is the first in Oxfordshire to scoop the Leading Aspect Award.

Two years ago, the school, in Bucknell Road, scrapped traditional teaching methods in favour of pupil-led learning.

Children at the school choose what they want to learn and teachers plan lessons incorporating core skills to ensure the National Curriculum is taught.

Assistant headteacher Kate Malyn, who led the development, said: “We have moved away from the approach schools used in the past.

“We base the curriculum on pupil voice — the children get to choose the curriculum themes.

“What the teachers do is plan lessons with the National Curriculum objectives to ensure the key skills are taught.

“It means the children get lots of opportunity to work independently and manage their own learning.

“It has been wonderful. The children get to learn about the things they want to learn about and their motivation and excitement levels have soared.”

Headteacher Nick Cornell said: “Lessons are now entirely based around exciting themes which the children want to learn about. Themes have included the Aztecs, dinosaurs and Tudor museums.

“Teachers have devised a skills-based approach to learning, and pupils work creatively and enthusiastically to develop these skills.

“This new way of teaching has had a significant impact on pupil attitudes and we are already beginning to see the results. It is fantastic that this has been recognised with an award.”

Brookside has already provided training for teachers from schools in neighbouring Aylesbury to pass on the idea.

bicester@oxfordmail.co.uk