Pupils at Matlock primary school meet lifesize dragon as part of drive to bring books to life

Lunar the dragon took centre stage in an assembly at Saint Joseph's, during which children listened to a mythical story and were invited to use their imaginations to think about what happened next.Parents and staff also joined in the fun as children were invited to tickle Lunar under the chin and take part in a daring game, which involved dodging the dragon to get their hands on a book.Following the first workshop, children in the school’s reception and nursery classes met a baby dragon and children in Years 4 and 5 made their own movie using green screen technology.Josh Grace, 10, said the workshop was one of the best things he had experienced at Saint Joseph’s.He said: “I loved it, my favourite bit was when we watched people trying to sneak past the dragon. It was something different to what we normally do and I don’t think many people would get to see a dragon in their whole lifetime. It’s something I won’t forget.”Charlotte Angrave, 11, said: “It was great to see everyone so excited. My sister is in the nursery class and I think she would have really enjoyed it. I like reading and something like this really brings books to life.”Stacey Carr, Headteacher at Saint Joseph’s, said: “Reading and writing is at the heart of the curriculum at Saint Joseph’s and inspiring children with a hook into learning is crucial. An experience like this and seeing the children’s faces is simply magical and something they will never forget. We are delighted to be able to give our children the opportunity to be creative and use digital technology to produce the best possible outcomes.”The sessions were delivered by Teach Rex, which provides creative learning workshops with the power to ignite young minds and imaginations. Each session transports children to a world of dinosaurs, dragons and gorillas, enabling pupils to experience something truly magical.Sam Bryan, a director at Teach Rex, said: “We believe in the power of storytelling in order to engage children in writing and reading. We use powerful hooks to ignite the children’s imaginations.”