HERM children have been studying all things 1920s this year, including turning themselves into Chicago-style mobsters.

Silent Knight, Tallulah Latter, Noodles Jones, Skinny Hastings, Pinky Jones, Emy Flowers and Wild Harry have been brightening up the school day with tales of their gangster alter-egos, designing their own speakeasys and creating mocktails named after their characters.

These are just some examples of how teacher Mary Carey cleverly combines lessons such as drama, home economics, art and creative writing while all the time making history come alive in the classroom.

The children have thoroughly embraced the subject, some even bringing their friends’ characters into their own character’s back story.

Wanted posters have been up in the school windows, prompting several guests to threaten to arrest them while they were out playing after school.

The children are also working on a silent movie, which no doubt will be full of comedy value, following a viewing of an early film by Harold Lloyd.

The school, in full 1920s costume, recently made a visit to Laska in Guernsey, where they were able to practise making their mocktails and were shown the professional way to do things. Trips outside the classroom are an excellent way of putting everything they are learning into real-life perspective.

As these things don’t happen every day at a primary school, our little gangsters and molls were visited by GP Ted, Channel TV and Island FM.

Never ones to shy away from the spotlight, they all enjoyed their time with the media promoting their school and making the island proud.