YOUNGSTERS at a primary school in Penketh have taken a step into the future with an exciting interactive book review wall.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, on Walton Avenue, believe they are the first school in the town to trial the new technology which has been wowing pupils and visitors to the school.

Combining two different apps, the children wrote book reviews for the interactive display and can see them read out by a cartoon avatar character when they hover an iPad in front of the wall.

Michelle Riches, deputy head at the school, said: "We were looking at ways of improving writing and reading throughout the school.

"The new curriculum focusses on reading for pleasure and trying to encourage children not just to pick up a book because they're told to but because they want to.

"Each class has been encouraged to share reviews of books they have enjoyed reading by any author rather than just the ones where there has been an author focus in class."

The display was only put up a few weeks before Christmas but year two teacher Claire Tyerman added working with the iPad to record the reviews had already helped a number of pupils speaking and listening skills.

She added: "The children really like it as it's something different but the parents haven't seen it yet as it's in the school's main entrance hall.

"We got the idea after going for training with a primary school teacher from Manchester and everybody has been really pleased with how it has worked out."