Primary pupils chance to join the Red Nose Day Comedy Classroom

BBC Learning has launched a new campaign to improve literacy skills and encourage enjoyment in writing among primary school children in Northern Ireland.

It has teamed up with the National Literacy Trust, Comic Relief and Blue Peter for a new competition called BBC Red Nose Day Comedy Classroom.

In a bid to improve children’s love of literacy in Northern Ireland, the winners in each age category (age 6-8 and 9-12) will see their jokes performed live on a special Red Nose Day Blue Peter programme in March 2017.

They’ll also have a chance to visit the Blue Peter studio to see the programme and will receive an orange Blue Peter competition winner’s badge, a signed certificate and Comedy Classroom trophy.

The final judging panel will include both Richard Curtis, Miranda Hart, and Blue Peter’s Barney Harwood.

Supporting the drive to improve literacy skills in schools, Patrick Kielty, well known Irish stand-up comedian and television presenter said: “Joke telling on the school timetable has been an ambition of mine since getting detention in Year Nine for a Billy Connolly impression during double French.

“Comedy Classroom is full of great ideas to start writing comedy and get involved in Red Nose Day. So why not get your head down and start learning something worthwhile?”

The competition closes on February 28.

To find out how to enter the competition, download resources for the classroom, or for terms and conditions, visit: bbc.co.uk/comedyclassroom