TEACHING practices learnt Down Under will be shared among schools in East Lancashire.

A delegation of nine teachers from three primary and one high school in Blackburn became pupils again for two weeks as they toured schools in Adelaide, Australia, to find out about how thinking skills are taught on the other side of the world.

Anne Connor head at St Antony's RC Primary School, was among the delegation. "The aim is to help children to think more deeply and analytically. We need to equip youngsters for a future we don't know yet. We are ensuring youngsters can cope with whatever changes that come along."

Blackburn with Darwen local education authority (LEA) successfully applied, along with two other LEAs, for places on the teachers' international professional development study trip. Last summer Blackburn with Darwen launched a project aimed at improving thinking skills.

"The approach to thinking skills is very structured in Australia," said Miss Connor, who was accompanied on the trip by colleague Jennifer Dainty. "It is a completely different culture over there. It's not as pressurised or hassled as it is here and the schools are not as pressurised.

"Teachers work very thoroughly but they are allowed to pick their own topics and the curriculum is not as knowledge-based."

The delegates brought back information and education resources. They will make a presentation to education chiefs in Blackburn and Darwen before sharing what they learnt with other schools.

"We will be looking at the way in which teachers teach and the methods they use to interest children," added Miss Connor.

St Mary and St Joseph's, and St Thomas' primary, and Pleckgate High schools were also involved.