Pupils at an Oxford school have been taking lessons with pensioners as part of a scheme to build friendships between the generations.

Every Friday, students from Years Seven to 11 at Oxford Community School in Glanville Road join up with about 15 elderly people from Oxford in a drive to foster better relations between the two age groups, and dispel any misconceptions either might have.

In the classes, run by Oxford based charity Full Circle, pupils aged 11 to 16 take lessons in arts and crafts with volunteers aged 60 and over.

Full Circle began working in Oxfordshire in 2000, and has since set up weekly classes in primary schools across the county.

The school is the only secondary school in the country to host the Full Circle classes, something that facilitator at the school, Nicole Champion, said she hoped would change soon. She said: “The classes are such a great way to get the two groups talking.

“There are a lot of ill-informed stereotypes, on both sides, between the generations.

“Young people can get a bit of a bad press and the kids often have their own opinions on older people.

“By getting to know each other, each group builds up mutual understanding and respect.

“This is the first secondary school to do it, though we hope that will change when people see how well the project is going here.”

The school has been offering the initiative for the past two terms and plans to continue it for the foreseeable future.

Volunteer Valerie Jones , 72, from Headington, Oxford, said: “I am very keen on building inter-generational contact.

“Some of the children who were maybe too shy to come and talk to older people before, have really blossomed.

“It’s very easy to become fond of the children when you meet them every week.”

Conor Parsons, 13, from Greater Leys, said other schools should offer the sessions.

He added: “I like to see how the older people work and do things differently to us.

“They are good to talk to, and always ask what we have been doing. I like to know what they have been doing too.

“It’s a bit like having my grandparents at the school. It’s fun.”

Eleven-year-old Derrian Wesonga, from Blackbird Leys, said: “I like meeting new people.”

The charity is looking for volunteers aged 50 and over to get involved in classes.

To find out more about the project, visit fullcircleoxon.org.uk or call 01865 246456.