SCHOOLCHILDREN will learn skills for life thanks to a £5,000 centre that combines the home and classroom.

The Life Skills Centre, at Nova Hreod School, off Akers Way, is part of the Inclusion Support Centre (ISC) on the school site.

It is designed to look exactly like a home with cooker, ironing board, sink, washing machine, children’s bedroom, Claude Monet prints on the walls and even oranges in the sitting room fruit bowl.

The idea is that pupils will use the facility to learn basic skills, practical and social, for use in later life.

Teachers behind the scheme believe it is the only mainstream Swindon school to possess such a facility, which was modelled on a smaller one at Crowdys Hill Special School.

The room was decorated using £5,000 funding from the Youth Opportunities Fund, which pupils applied for in November, and donated items from teachers.

Gary Nash, head of Year 8 and in charge of the ISC, said: “It’s about inclusion and this is truly inclusive.”

The ISC is run by six staff and helps around 110 Nova Hreod School pupils from Years 7 to 11 with issues outside school such as self-esteem, anger management, bereavement and emotional issues or with special educational needs.

It offers support such as therapeutic work and counselling.

Diane Townsend, ISC therapeutic coordinator, said the Life Skills Centre will help teach children cooking, washing, ironing, organising personal space and time management for use in future jobs The room also has a large table so children can sit and eat together learning social skills, the art of conversation and etiquette.

Pupils with certain life skills will share them with others.

The school hopes to extend the service out to the wider community and get parents more involved.

Mrs Townsend said: “Some people will learn these skills at home, but for other young people it’s maybe a little bit more challlenging, they need a different approach.

“It’s not that the young people don’t learn these skills at home, sometimes people just learn differently. As a school we believe we have a bigger role to play in helping families and helping support them.”

Heidi Veitch, 16, from Moredon, said: “When I see the life skills centre I feel happy, proud and emotional, I can’t believe we have done all that.

“Life skills are really important to me.

“Before I came here I was really shy and not confident.

“It helps people to see that there is a better side of life and no matter what people think or say we are important.”

Conor Reid, 15, of Pinehurst, said: “I think it’s a great place to learn social skills and be able to get together. It’s being able to get away from everything, just to be able to sit down and talk about my problems.

“It’s somewhere that feels more home-like so you feel more free. If you are sitting in a classroom talking about stuff it still feels like school.”

Callum Hedges, 14, from Pinehurst, said: “I’m speechless because when I first came here it was plain and empty.

“When I come to the life skills centre I feel like I’m myself and also feel understood.”