Pupils get classroom massage

The children are said to concentrate better after the massage

Teachers at a school in Sheffield have come up with a new way of helping their pupils to relax.

For five minutes after lunch at Hinde House Primary School in Firth Park the children give each other a massage.

It has proved so popular that teachers say the children are learning better as a result.

One girl told BBC Look North: "I like it because after lunch we have to massage and it calms us down."

Aids concentration

Assistant headteacher Nick Thompson said he was a bit sceptical about the massage idea at first.

But after a pilot programme in the summer term, massage is now a regular part of classes in the school's foundation, infants and year three groups.

"At the end of last year we saw an increase of 50% in terms of their reading and writing ability," Mr Thompson said.

"We are not putting it down just to the massage programme.

"But we do feel the massage has helped concentration and learning, particularly in the afternoons."