TEENAGERS at an Eastleigh school are taking a new approach to maths and English lessons - by racing buggies.

Students at Alderman Quilley School have been handcrafting the models and racing them in front of an electric fan as part of a project to develop literacy and numeracy skills.

The initiative is the brainchild of key skills teacher Carole Calver, who came up with the idea when she was appointed to teach the first ever NVQ course at the Cherbourg Road school.

Previously GCSE age pupils were not allowed to study for the vocational qualification, but now education bosses have relaxed the rules to promote learning relevant to the workplace. As part of the project, funded by training company Solent Skills Quest, the pupils provided costings, wrote formal business letters and designed publicity material.

Now they plan to invest in a life sized land yacht, a buggy propelled by a sail or kite, and raffle it away as a business venture. Mrs Calver had planned to allow the winner of the buggy race to choose which yacht to purchase until the final race was a dead heat.

But the quick-thinking educator used the result to make the winners submit bids to be allowed the final choice.

She said: "They didn't realise it but they were using skills and writing up work that had to go in portfolios. It's been the one time none of them have complained about having to write. Although they have been working it's been more related to the world of work they will face when they leave school."