PUPILS at Malvern Parish Primary learned African drumming skills this week ahead of a visit from the school’s twin school in Tanzania.

Simon Carver from the HumDrumStrum company spent two days working with pupils from the school’s reception class right up to year six.

The children will show off their skills when the head and assistant headteacher from Mabawa Primary in Tanga visit in June.

Malvern Parish is one of three schools in malvern that has links with schools in Tanga. The others are Wyche Primary and St Matthias and all three have just discovered that the British Council will provide funding to continue the links for a further three years.

Representatives from all three schools plan to make a second visit to Tanzania in October.

Malvern Parish headteacher Lynn Gill said: “It is a very exciting opportunity for us to have these links.

“It lets our children and the children in Tanzania understand different cultures and what life is like in each place.”

Mrs Gill added that the school had purchased its own set of djembe drums and would be holding drumming sessions on a regular basis.

“I believe that drumming helps children with their other learning,” she said. “Among other things it helps with co-ordination and listening skills.”