MATHS and PE were on the curriculum again when one York councillor went back to school for a taste of life in the classroom.

As well as spending time in lessons at St Barnabas School, in Jubilee Terrace, Coun James Alexander had a taste of school dinners and a glimpse of life as a teaching assistant.

Although he did get involved in playground games, the purpose of the day had a serious side.

Coun Alexander is City of York Council’s Children and Young People’s Champion, and his visit last week gave him a valuable insight into schooling in York today.

He said: “I was on a fact-finding mission to meet the kids and I spent the morning in a maths lesson, then a PE session.

“In the afternoon, I was a teaching assistant and learned about some of the pressures there are. I saw how teachers really have to keep an eye on all the kids while maybe giving attention to an individual.

“Things have changed since I was at school. I was used to chalk boards but now it’s all interactive and there’s a lot of team building.”

After spending lunchtime with some of the children, Coun Alexander said he was impressed by how confident the pupils were and said he believed engaging with youngsters was one of the important lessons he would take back to the council with him.

“I have learned that children actually like their dinners, which I was surprised at. They also like being asked questions.

“You may think that children don’t understand things but they really do,” he said. “I want to engage with children rather than just getting involved in school councils.

“When items come up regarding education at the council in the future, I will be much better placed to understand the issues.”

Coun Alexander, who is also prospective Labour parliamentary candidate for York Outer, managed to find some time for some well-earned fun and games while at the school.

“I had to play tig. But I wasn’t very good at it,” he admitted.