BUDDING Quidditch players have beaten 'bludgers' and caught 'quaffles' as part of their curriculum.

About 60 year four pupils at Ysgol Emmanuel, intent on an education in witchcraft and wizardry, have had a masterclass from Bangor University's Broken Broomsticks Quidditch team in a new approach to schooling that gives pupils input in their education.

In line with the Welsh Government's 'New Welsh Curriculum' - the draft of which is due out in January - the pupils have picked up the sport as part of their Autumn Term subject 'Magical Me' which focuses on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Haley Griffiths, Year Four teacher, said: "Through the Living Planning approach to curriculum, we give the children six areas of learning on an agreed topic, the children come up with their own a questions and we try and link it curriculum.

"Pupils have been deciding what they would like to learn about and were particularly interested in Quidditch, the sport conceived by JK Rowling in her Harry Potter series.

"We got in touch the Bangor Broken Broomsticks and they kindly offered to take a session with each of our year four classes."

On Wednesday, October 3 the Bangor team met with pupils from Ysgol Emmanuel where they participated in an hour session with broomsticks between their legs for a sport combining elements of dodgeball, rugby and netball.

The pupils from two year four classes were divided into four teams in the colours of each of the Hogwarts houses including green for Slytherin, blue for Ravenclaw, yellow for Hufflepuff and Red for Gryffindor.

Similarly to the sport portrayed in the popular film and book series, the aim of the game is for players called "chasers" to pass and score by throwing 'quaffle' through hoops, while players called 'beaters' protect them with bats.

In the second half, one child per team was given the role of 'seeker' - Potter's position on the Gryffindor team - to try and chase then catch the 'golden snitch' to win the game.

Miss Griffiths, added:"The pupils thoroughly enjoyed it and are now very much looking forward to travelling to Bangor to watch the team compete against a rival Quidditch team from Chester later in the school term."