DREAMING of jet-setting around Europe to sample continental cuisine and culture?

Pupils in every year at Pleckgate High School were given a taste of this without leaving school during their European Week, last week. Every school subject, not only those normally associated with foreign languages, was given a continental slant.

The work of famous European mathematicians and European scientific achievements was studied; lessons in more unusual European languages were given, and in English, war poetry and Shakespearean plays with European themes were discussed.

Several areas of the school were taken over by displays representing different countries of Europe, including Britain, and one of the most popular daily events of the week was a continental breakfast laid on by the modern languages department.

A menu of coffee or tea, tartine and croissants was served up by teachers to over 30 pupils and staff each day at 60p a time. One high spot of the week was year 8's quiz in which teams from each tutor group, dressed to represent different European countries, tested their Euro-knowledge, with the "Italian" team emerging as winners.

The event, run for the second year, has now become an established and very enjoyable part of the curriculum at Pleckgate giving pupils a broader understanding of Europe than just the names of a few football teams.

MARTIN CULLINAN, modern languages teacher, Pleckgate High School.

Be quick to join our taster days

MORE than 20 teachers have already taken up our offer of places on two free taster days to be hosted by our NIE project and the Teacher Placement Service at East Lancs Education Business Partnerships, who are also offering funding towards the cost of supply teaching cover.

A limited number of 20 places is reserved for teachers in local primary schools on Monday, November 10, and the same number for those from secondary schools on Tuesday, November 18, but only three places are still available for the 10th. Teachers are advised to contact our NIE co-ordinator Rita Shaw as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Each event will give an insight into newspaper production at our head office, followed by a hands-on session using our Newstream computer programme simulating "live" news and crisis management, for use in the classroom.

All schools have received details of the events and registration forms, but for more information please contact Rita Shaw on 01254 678678 ext 255 or fax 01254 680429.

Jeans for genes cash

SCHOOL uniform and smart staff dress was abandoned at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, on October 10 as pupils and staff donated £1 each for the privilege of wearing jeans for the day.

An excellent £340 was raised, which will be split between four charities who work together to help children with genetic disorders.

The money will go towards research to find a breakthrough in preventing, treating and curing these conditions.

STACEY BRANDWOOD, year 8, Pleckgate High School.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.