PUPILS at a Tang Hall school got the chance to see if they could be the Oscar-winners of the future last week.

Jim Parkyn, a senior model maker from Aardman Animations - the plasticine pioneers behind Oscar-winners such as Creature Comforts and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit - delighted youngsters at Applefields school last Thursday with a day-long series of workshops.

During three sessions, Jim showed pupils how he creates the much-loved “claymation” characters, including Morph - who turned 40 last year - Shaun the Sheep and Gromit (of Wallace and Gromit fame).

He also invited his audience to have a go at making the characters themselves.

Adam Booker, head teacher at Applefields - which teaches secondary aged pupils who have a wide range of special needs - said: “The day was an unqualified success with staff and students all participating.

“It was fantastic fun and Jim was a great teacher - and very sensitive to the needs of our pupils.”

At the end of the day, Jim - who has worked on many Aardman hits - made the school its own models of Morph and Shaun (his personal speciality), which will now take pride of place in the school’s entranceway.

Jim, who describes himself as an Aardman ambassador, was pleased that the workshop at Applefields had been such a success, noting that Morph first appeared on Vision On - a programme originally created with deaf children in mind.

He has previously worked with youngsters with various disabilities, as well as fans in many different countries, including China and Mexico, and said: “The characters have a universal appeal because they often tell stories without a verbal language.”