Mandarin Chinese can be learnt at Holy Family School.

It is one of a new batch of courses available from Wednesday March 22.

Damian Howells will teach Mandarin Chinese Language and Culture at the school on Wednesday evenings from 6.30-7.30p.m.

A new style 'Parents 'N' Kids' course of classes is also on offer. This is aimed at ten-11-year-olds and their parents or other adults interested in learning French, Spanish or German together. These sessions will be held from 4-5p.m on Wednesdays. Separate adult beginners' classes (sixth form age and over) in French, Spanish and German will also be held on Wednesdays - 7.30-9p.m. Classes may also be held on alternative days, depending on numbers.

Head Conor Davis adds: "We have a Japanese teacher resident in the school for the next three months too and are looking at projects actually out in the town that may have lasting benefit particularly to the tourist industry which sees a lot of Japanese visitors."

Anyone interested in enrolling onto a language course should ring Holy Family school on 210212 or come to the school on Wednesday March 22 at 4p.m, 6.30p.m or 7.30p.m.

Each class will cost £2 or £6 for all four sessions if paid on the first night.

Holy Family brainboxes have passed a special maths test. A group of 13 year ten students (14-15-year-olds) and six year nines (13-14s) have passed the Intermediate Maths Challenge.

The special national hour and a half exam is set by Leeds University. Maths teacher Jenny Flynn says: "It is more for a record of achievement than anything."

Only the students at the 'top end of ability' took the exam.

Three year nine students have also been selected to enter a higher European challenge.

Holy Family has released a newsletter for former pupils. The school hopes it will attract news and gossip from ex-students. Holy Family first opened its doors in 1964 and has since admitted around 8,000 pupils. A campaign to contact some of them was launched last Christmas and a mailing list has been created.

Staff hope they can provide a contact point for those wishing to get in touch with their old school friends or set up reunions. Anyone interested in joining the Former Pupils Association should contact the school on 210212.

Gifted and talented pupils at Greenhead will be in the presence of royalty this week. A group of Year Nine students are travelling to the Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield to watch a production of a new play called Balti Kings.

Head of performing arts Nick Mann says: "The play is set in a Birmingham balti house and is about the conflict between the old school chef who concen-trates on quality and the younger lad who wants to increase productivity. It is based on real life characters and shows the differences that exist between the generations.

"The trip is for pupils who have shown a lot of promise in the area of performing arts, and because many of our students don't get the chance to go to the theatre, it is a great opportunity for them. We will be giving the students a short workshop before we go, looking at how the play has been created. There will also be an opportunity to speak with actors and director which will give them a different persp-ective and help with their studies."

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