PARENTS are going back to school to encourage their children to learn more about their family background.

Mums and dads are going to school for an hour on Wednesdays to work with their children on the Gene Pool Project.

The children have been researching their family history and presenting their findings on video or through a specially devised drama.

The £10,000 scheme is the brainchild of Top oth Brow Primary headteacher Chris Caldwell.

It is funded by local independent community groups Bolton and Home Percent for Arts, Museum Outreach, and by the school. The project also encourages the children to talk about their hopes for the future.

Mr Caldwell said: "The idea behind the project is really to encourage parents and pupils to work together.

"The response by parents has been very good - they are very enthusiastic about the project."

The project will run over the next four months and involves children from Year Six. At the launch of the project, parents and children were shown various ways they could they could present the final project, such as through film or drama.

Parents and children also displayed items they had made together at home to publicise their partnership.

Mr Caldwell said: "If children realise the parents are interested, they in turn become motivated and achieve more.

"Both parents and children gain confidence and believe they are capable of doing and achieving."

Carol Everett, mother of pupils Matthew, aged six, and Rebecca, aged four, said: "The children love me coming in to school. The whole project is very exciting for me as well.

"The children enjoy me working with them and they get excited about their work.

"At at the same time, this project is very interesting for me because I am looking forward to doing a family tree and finding out more."

Mr Caldwell said: "We have been running these projects for years at this school, which do make a difference to the way children work."