A PIONEERING first for East Anglia has seen youngsters from Lowestoft getting into the groove in the classroom.Harris Middle School is leading the way with £24,000 of new equipment, which is proving to be a hit with pupils, staff and parents.

A PIONEERING first for East Anglia has seen youngsters from Lowestoft getting into the groove in the classroom.

Harris Middle School is leading the way with £24,000 of new equipment, which is proving to be a hit with pupils, staff and parents.

The new Shokk system has been installed, and this is the only school or sports centre in the area to take advantage of the dance-mat craze.

Deputy head Steve Whiteside told The Journal: “It's immense: seeing the smiles and concentration on the children's faces has been superb.

“The nearest leisure centre to use this system is in London, and the nearest school is Witchford Village College, in Cambridgeshire.”

Bringing an arcade game to the classroom has seen 16 new dance mats and state-of-the-art technology being installed in the main school hall.

The school is keen to promote healthier lifestyles, and this is a major step forward in more ways than one as the children increase their participation in PE.

“There's a real buzz about the school,” Mr Whiteside said. “It is being used as a reward for pupils and as an after-school activity, and at the first session it attracted 30 children, which was fantastic.

“We think the equipment will help them in the school and make them learn better as well.”

Nine staff have been trained to use the equipment, and such has been the take-up in using it that out-of-school weekend classes could soon be started for mums and dads.

Thirteen-year-old Jamie Gadney and Lauren Cooper, 12, said it was “a great laugh” and “real fun” as they enjoyed using the equipment and attended the first after-school session.

“We felt it was something unique which the governors supported,” Mr Whiteside added.

“We wanted to raise levels of enjoyment as well as increase participation in PE.”