PUPILS at a Newport primary school started a week of bird-themed learning yesterday, which the school hopes will be a soaring success.

The youngsters at St Julian's junior school were visited by staff from the bird of prey centre, who brought a range of birds to the school to kick start their week of bird-related learning.

Owls, Red Kites and Falcons were just some of the visitors as part of the school's first 'theme week' - aimed at incorporating different topics into the school curriculum.

Art, design technology, IT, English, geography and maths are just some of the lessons which will have a feathered influence this week as the pupils write poems, learn about migration, design and build bird feeders, create art and conduct research into birds.

Headteacher David Rees said: "This is something I think is going to be really exciting. We're trying to link the things we do in the national curriculum with these topics because they will enthuse the children."

The school will have a theme week each term, and the summer term will feature an Olympic week in the run up to this summer's Beijing Olympics.