A major new research project involving 250 children from Helston and the Lizard Peninsula is about to get underway.

Reception class children from ten schools will be involved in the two-year study, looking at how taking part in dance, music and drama can help improve language and literacy skills in young children, as well as boost their personal and social skills.

It is being led by Parc Eglos School, a teaching school for west Cornwall, working with MADE (formerly Music And Dance Education) and the Minack Theatre.

They have been given a grant of £137,000 from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, a teacher development fund, for the study called ‘A Child’s Eye View’.

Actors, artists and musicians will be working with teachers and children aged four and five from Breage, Coverack, Crowan, Grade Ruan, Halwin, Manaccan, Mullion, Parc Eglos, Porthleven and St Keverne primary schools.

Using dance, drama and music, with a focus on story, narrative and play, the artists will help teachers improve their skills further to find the best ways to develop the speech, language and communication of children in the schools’ reception classes.

Parc Eglos is the largest primary school in the area and forms part of the Southerly Point Co-operative Multi Academy Trust.

Donna Bryant, the MAT’s chief executive officer, said: “This is such an exciting opportunity for our schools.

“At a time when many are talking about the demise of the arts in schools, our commitment to this project, and this way of working to develop children’s speech and language, clearly demonstrates that that is not the case in Helston and the Lizard communities.

“Indeed, all of our schools celebrate and embrace the arts throughout the whole educational journey of our children, from our pre-schools to post 16 education at Helston Community College.”