Jersey primary schools to teach Jerriais language

Primary school children in Jersey will be given a taste of the island's native language as part of a new course.

The Jersey studies course is being run by the L'Office du Jerriais which says it will give every Jersey child a taster of Jerriais.

The course will see every year four pupil take six lessons in the language during school hours as part of the citizenship curriculum.

The eight and nine-year-olds will also be given a Jerriais CD and booklet.

Each lesson will focus on an aspect of Jersey culture such as nature, geography, history or the economy and will include songs from a CD performed by local band Badlabecques.

Tony Scott Warren, from L'Office du Jerriais, said: "We're delighted that it's now within the curriculum because it means we can reach all children. When it was outside school time we could only offer it to about a third of pupils."

Education Minister, Deputy Patrick Ryan, said he hoped it would capture the imagination of the children taking the course.