BBC's Red Nose Day Comedy Classroom offering Derry children the chance to write their own jokes

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

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

Research by the National Literacy Trust in 2015 found that only 44.8% of 32,569 pupils (aged 8-18) surveyed, enjoy writing.

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 rib-tickling 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, 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 9 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?”

Sinéad Rocks, Head of BBC Learning, commented: “We want this competition to provide a fun and inspiring way to engage students by helping them find the funny side of literacy and by demonstrating how literacy is the bedrock of good comedy and comedy writing. We hope it provides some great laughs in classrooms across the UK as well as giving students the opportunity to produce some fantastic entries.”

Jonathan Douglas, director of the National Literacy Trust, continued: “Our research shows that more needs to be done to inspire children in Northern Ireland to enjoy writing. We believe that introducing them to comedy writing can help. Comedy harnesses many key writing skills to create laughs and can be a great asset in the classroom. The BBC Red Nose Day Comedy Classroom competition is a brilliant way to get started!”

The competition closes on 28th February 2017.

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