Maths and Christianity are usually short on laughs. But York teacher Dave Godfrey is trying to change all that with silliness. MATTHEW WOODCOCK reports.

'IT'S time to go - boing, boing, boing, boing, boing, boing......." Laughing, sweat-soaked children repeat the word over and over again as they bounce into each other and pogo wildly to the music. York's Salvation Army Citadel in Gillygate has never seen anything like it. Earlier a class of York seven-year-olds had stared transfixed as a man wearing an eye patch with a parrot on his shoulder sang: "My name is Pirate Captain Hugh, measure is what I do, Oh - don't you knock this over, it's a litre jug of cola and it's going in my pirate stew!"

This is as normal as a day gets for Dave Godfrey, teacher and Christian youth leader, who is spreading a gospel of silliness across the city through wacky, energetic songs such as Boing and Pirate Captain Hugh.

The point of them is simple: to make maths and Christianity fun in order to help kids remember.

Dave's philosophy is that if pupils learn curriculum-based maths theory by reciting a catchy, action song, they are less likely to forget it. Throw in funny props such as a huge plastic banana or a talking monkey called Cheeky, and all the better.

In fact the lesson is likely to continue out in the playground as youngsters share their new monkey grunt noises with their best friends.

"Teachers told me they were sick of using rhymes such as Ten Green Bottles," said Dave, who is self-employed and based in Copmanthorpe. "My songs are specifically written to support national numeracy strategy objectives.

"There is real power in music because children can really enjoy it but also remember things. My passion is to teach children things they will never forget."

Dave's newly-published maths resource book, Key Stage One - Number Fun, contains 22 of his zany compositions, all designed to help achieve numeracy objectives.

Much of his time is spent introducing the programme to schools across the county, but he is also now being hired by education authorities to train teachers how to do it themselves.

Not bad for someone who only wrote his first song five years ago.

The Surrey-born father of three, who is married to Menna, a childminder, first came to the city as a student to read maths and economics at the University of York, and later did a teacher training course at York St John's College.

He taught for nearly eight years at Huntington Primary School and Flaxley Road, in Selby, before "feeling called" to head up a Christian schools project, the York Schools and Youth Trust (YOYO).

His main role was to find ways of helping schools teach religious education in as exciting and relevant a way as possible, often using music and drama in assemblies.

Dave, who learnt the guitar when he was ten, felt compelled to pray about whether he should write his own songs to use in schools.

"I found I was suddenly inspired to write songs by something I saw, heard or read," he said, "Often it was a Bible verse."

The result was a self-financed debut CD, Brave And Daring, which simplified often complex theological issues or popular Bible stories into silly songs.

"I've got a real edge of silliness to my personality," he says, "Some people have the opinion that the church and Christianity in general is boring, but I think there is something very exciting about it.

"I try to put as much fun and joy and life into the work I do as I can. It's not about having fun just for the sake of it, but in the context of learning something about God."

Dave's songs have become a big hit through his performances at the monthly "Multi-coloured praise parties" in the Citadel, where primary-age youngsters are encouraged to let their hair down and join in with the actions. Mini-riots have been known to flare up when they are played in Sunday schools.

Dave is also getting noticed nationally through his work with youngsters at Europe's biggest Christian event, Spring Harvest, which attracts more than 64,000 people every Easter.

So much so, that he has now been signed up to a major Christian label, ICC Records, which has just released his latest album, Dependence Day.

In fact, Dave's fiercest critics are his own children who have gone to extraordinary lengths to stop him reciting his songs at home. He is to appear on popular Children's BBC show, Get Your Own Back, after ten-year-old daughter Anna nominated him for "driving her bananas" with his constant singing.

The 37-year-old must complete several challenges or be "gunged" by her on national television. But for a man who is teaching the next generation to look forward to maths and stay awake during Sunday school, he will no doubt see the funny side.

For more information about Dave's work, phone 01904 778848 or visit his website, omegazone.org.uk

Updated: 09:28 Tuesday, April 29, 2003